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As Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi write in the introduction to Na'ama's Fattoush in Jerusalem: A Cookbook, there is no escaping chopped salads in Jerusalem. Some are simple amalgamations of tomato, cucumber, onion, and lemon vinaigrette, while others, like Arab fattoush, contain a cornucopia of vegetables mixed with leftover pita bread.
This version comes from Tamimi's family and has the tangy addition of homemade buttermilk dressing. Even made with less-than-perfect November tomatoes, Na'ama's Fattoush is vibrant, crunchy, chewy, herbaceous, and creamy all at once.
Why I picked this recipe: Who could resist such a vibrant salad, especially when there's copious amounts of chewy bread involved?
What worked: Tangy, crunchy, and just a little sweet, this fattoush is a colorful surprise bite after bite (not to mention a total breeze to make).
What didn't: I would have liked more fresh mint and a little less buttermilk in the dressing (not all of it soaked into the bread, so I was left with buttermilk soup at the bottom of the bowl).
Suggested tweaks: It'd be easy to swap in different mix-ins here. Shredded carrot would be a nice addition and diced fuyu persimmon would be a great substitute for tomatoes during winter months. Be sure to keep the proportions the same though; the proportion of bread-to-veg is already pretty perfect.
Reprinted with permission from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, copyright 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold.
Recipe Details
Na'ama's Fattoush from 'Jerusalem'
Ingredients
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Scant 1 cup (200g) Greek yogurt and 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (200ml) whole milk, or 1 2/3 cups (400ml) buttermilk (replacing both yogurt and milk)
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2 large stale Turkish flatbread or naan (9 ounces; 250g in total)
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3 large tomatoes (13 ounces; 380g in total), cut into 2/3-inch (1.5 cm) dice
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3 ounces (100g) radishes, thinly sliced
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3 Lebanese or mini cucumbers (9 ounces; 250g in total), peeled and chopped into 2/3-inch (1.5cm) dice
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2 green onions, thinly sliced
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1/2 ounce (15g) fresh mint
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Scant 1 ounce (25g) flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
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1 tablespoon dried mint
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2 cloves garlic, crushed
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3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
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1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
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2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
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3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 tablespoon sumac or more to taste, to garnish
Directions
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If using yogurt and milk, start at least 3 hours and up to a day in advance by placing both in a bowl. Whisk well and leave in a cool place or in the fridge until bubbles form on the surface. What you get is a kind of homemade buttermilk, but less sour.
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Tear the bread into bite-size pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Add your fermented yogurt mixture or commercial buttermilk, followed by the restof the ingredients, mix well, and leave for 10 minutes for all the flavors to combine.
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Spoon the fattoush into serving bowls, drizzle with some olive oil, and garnish generously with sumac.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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265 | Calories |
13g | Fat |
32g | Carbs |
8g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 265 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 13g | 16% |
Saturated Fat 2g | 12% |
Cholesterol 3mg | 1% |
Sodium 732mg | 32% |
Total Carbohydrate 32g | 12% |
Dietary Fiber 3g | 12% |
Total Sugars 8g | |
Protein 8g | |
Vitamin C 25mg | 125% |
Calcium 159mg | 12% |
Iron 3mg | 16% |
Potassium 507mg | 11% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |