Lebanese Bread Salad - Fattush
Ingredients:
½ loaf of Arabic Bread (substitute pita bread)
1 small clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup parsley
3 green onions
1 cup fresh mint or ¼ cup dried mint
4-5 large leaves of Romaine lettuce, or 1/4 head of lettuce
1 cucumber, peeled, quartered, and cut into small pieces
2-3 medium tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small hot pepper, minced, optional
½ tsp simmaq, if available
½ cup olive oil
Directions:
Toast the bread to a golden brown and break it into 1½ inch pieces. Set aside.
In a salad bowl, mash the garlic, or use a garlic press, and mix the garlic well
with the salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice to the garlic mixture and blend well.
Coarsely chop the parsley, green onions, and mint. Tear the lettuce as for a tossed
green salad. Add the parsley, green onions, mint, cucumber, tomatoes, hot pepper,
simmaq, and toasted bread to the lemon and garlic mixture and toss thoroughly.
Just before serving, add the oil and toss well.
Makes 6 servings
NOTE: Simmaq is available in Middle Eastern specialty grocery stores.
Recipe compliments of Pam Burke from the cookbook "Lebanese Cuisine" by Madeline Farah
