Fattoush

Ingredients

• 3 stale pittas
• 90 ml olive oil
• 2 small cucumbers, in chunks
• 4 tomatoes, in wedges
• 6 radishes, sliced
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 1 romaine lettuce, torn
• a big handful of parsley
• a handful of mint
• 1 tbsp sumac
• juice of 2 lemons
• 4 tsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 small garlic clove, grated

Method

1. Fry the bread properly

   Tear the pitta into rough pieces and fry in half the oil until deep gold and genuinely crisp, then salt and drain. Fattoush exists to use up stale bread, and torn pieces catch far more dressing than neat squares.

2. Salt the cucumber and tomato

   Cut the cucumber and tomato into generous chunks, salt them lightly and leave 10 minutes in a colander. That drains off water that would otherwise dilute the dressing.

   10 min

3. Cut everything chunky

   Combine all the vegetables and herbs in big, rustic pieces. This is a substantial salad eaten with a fork, not a delicate one.

4. Mix the dressing

   Whisk the lemon juice, remaining oil, pomegranate molasses, garlic and most of the sumac. Sumac is the signature — sour and faintly fruity — and it should be assertive.

5. Dress at the last second

   Toss everything with the bread and dressing right before serving and scatter the rest of the sumac over. Dressed early, the bread turns to sponge and loses the crunch that is the entire point.