Hommus & fattoush

Fattoush is a classic Middle Eastern salad comprised of fresh vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, and radishes combined with the signature fattoush addition of crunchy pita chips and a lemon and pomegranate molasses dressing for an addictive sour-sweet flavour. Served with hommus, a Middle Eastern crushed chickpea and tahini dip, this recipe from Mahmoud Ismail sets the perfect mezze table to share with friends.

• serves

  6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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The Mezze Table

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episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup (60 ml) well-stirred tahini
• ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
• 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 can chickpeas or 1 ½ cups (250 g) cooked chickpeas, rinsed
• 2 - 3 tbsp water
• Paprika or sumac, for serving

For the salad

• 1 large head cos lettuce, roughly chopped
• 1 large tomato, roughly chopped
• 2-3 Lebanese cucumbers, roughly chopped
• ½ large green capsicum, roughly chopped
• 5 radishes, roughly chopped
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

For the dressing

• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
• ½ tsp dried mint
• ½ tsp salt and black pepper
• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

For the fried pita bread

• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
• 1 large double ply pita bread cut into triangles
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. To make the hommos, combine the tahini and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Process for 1 minute, then scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and process for another 30 seconds. Add the olive oil, garlic, cumin and ½ tsp salt to the bowl and process for 30 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with the spatula and process for a further 30 seconds.
   
2. Add half the chickpeas to the bowl of the food processer and process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the remaining chickpeas. Process until thick and smooth, 1 - 2 minutes. If too thick, gradually add a little water to reach the ideal consistency. Season to taste with salt, then spoon the hommos into a serving bowl and drizzle with extra olive oil and sprinkle with paprika or sumac.
   
3. To fry the pita, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the pita bread and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring gently, until the pita becomes crisp and golden, about 5 - 7 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on a paper-towel lined plate and set aside until needed.
   
4. To make the fattoush salad, combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl. To make the dressing, combine the ingredients (except the oil) in a jug. While whisking, slowly pour in the oil, until emulsified.
   
5. To serve, pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Add the fried pita bread to the salad immediately before serving. Serve the fattoush salad with the hommus.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

The Mezze Table

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G