Middle Eastern Fatteh Recipe

Fatteh is a popular Middle Eastern dish consisting of yogurt, chickpeas, pine nuts and other toppings over flatbread. The flatbread is toasted then topped with generous amounts of spiced chickpeas followed by a layer of plain yogurt, flavored by tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt.

The final layers are toasted pine nuts and various flavorful garnishes like parsley, mint, lemon juice, oil or ghee. Fatteh can be served as a main meal, but it more popular are a meal starter.

‘Fatteh’ means crumbs or torn, a reference either to the dish being a combination of tidbits or to the pita bread. The pita bread can be made into chips by frying or baking.

There are many types of Fatteh. In general, it refers to any layered dish over flatbread. Some are vegetarian while others contain meat or fish. In place of chickpeas other types of peas or beans can be used or vegetables.

Variations include Fattet Betenjan which is eggplant fatteh, Fattat Djaj is a chicken fatteh and Fatteh Sujuk. Sujuk is a spicy fermented sausage.

Fattoush salad though quite different, is from the fatteh dish family. This is because the salad contains pieces of flatbread in it.

Origin and Significance

Fatteh originated in the Levant region, though it’s unclear exactly where. Other countries that enjoy and have their own preferred variations include Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. In Lebanon, it is eaten regularly but is a staple during Ramadan.

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Middle Eastern Fatteh Recipe

Yield: 2 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Lebanese Fatteh is a layered dish of yogurt, chickpeas, pine nuts and other toppings over flat bread

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Ingredients

• Chickpeas (canned) - 15 oz.
• Pita Bread - 2 cups
• Plain White Milk Yogurt - 1 cup
• Garlic - 1 clove
• Tahini Paste - 2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Pine Nuts - 2 tbsp
• Olive Oil - 2 tbsp

Instructions

1. Cut the pita bread into small 1–2-inch pieces.
2. Deep fry the pita bread until golden brown, remove and place on a paper towel lined plate.
3. Alternatively spread the cut pita on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes on 400 degrees until light brown and crispy.
4. Wash the canned chickpeas and place in a small pot with some water.
5. Warm chickpeas over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
6. Mash the cloves of garlic with a dash of salt (about 1/2 teaspoon).
7. Add the plain yogurt and tahini and mix until combined.
8. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil.
9. Add the nuts and cook for a few minutes until golden brown and toasted.
10. Remove the nuts to stop the cooking along with the oil and set aside.
11. Assemble the fatteh in a large serving plate or in individual bowls.
12. Start with the fried pita on the bottom, followed by the room temperature chickpeas, then the yogurt and lastly drizzle the nuts and oil over the top.
13. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1295Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 1641mgCarbohydrates: 199gFiber: 22gSugar: 26gProtein: 50g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.