Fattoush Salad Dressing Ideas Wanted

[Shel_B]

This coming weekend I'll be preparing dinner for a few guests, and I want to make a fattoush salad using some of the sumac I recently got from Istanbul.  Does anyone have some good dressing recipes using sumac?

[weinoo]

My guess would be lemon juice and olive oil, but since that's probably not what you're looking for...

[Darienne]

Shel_B, do you toast the pita pieces or not for your Fattoush?  I've never made it at home, but do love it.

 

I have sumac down on my grocery list as of a month ago to make something called Three Pepper Shakshuka Pita with Feta and Za'atar.  from Smitten Kitchen and still haven't gotten to that out-of-the-way store which carries such things.  Can't get Za'atar in our nearby city. 

[Shel_B]

Shel_B, do you toast the pita pieces or not for your Fattoush?  I've never made it at home, but do love it.

 

I have sumac down on my grocery list as of a month ago to make something called Three Pepper Shakshuka Pita with Feta and Za'atar.  from Smitten Kitchen and still haven't gotten to that out-of-the-way store which carries such things.  Can't get Za'atar in our nearby city. 

 

I've not made the salad before, but do plan to toast the pita.  I'll have to take a look at the Three Pepper Shakshuka Pita.

 

ETA:  Took a look - it looks like a nice recipe.  Added it to my files. Thanks for the pointer!

Edited July 15, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[djyee100]

I make the recipe for fattoush from Joanne Weir. Here:

http://www.joanneweir.com/recipes/salads/middle-eastern-bread-salad-summer-vegetables/

I prefer the bread toasted rather than simply stale.

[FrogPrincesse]

In the past I've just used olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sumac, salt and pepper, and plenty of herbs (mint, parsley), Here is a recipe from AOC (Suzanne Goin) that is a little more elaborate.

[Hassouni]

Expertise from eating fattoush all across Lebanon:

 

Olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, and sumac make a bangin' fattoush. All to taste, plus perhaps some salt and pepper. The sumac should be sprinkled on and then tossed, rather than incorporated into the dressing.

 

The pieces of bread should be toasted or deep fried. Fried is more common. I have never seen it with just stale bread.

 

Cream (?????), coriander, cheese of any kind, and I would even venture to say parsley do not belong in fattoush! One really nice fresh herb if you can find is known in Arabic as "fresh za'tar", which tastes like thyme but sort of looks like rosemary (but with more delicate leaves). Barring that, regular fresh thyme would not be unwelcome

 

I also can't remember ever having one with olives in it.

 

Fattoush is a great vehicle for exceptional tomatoes and cucumbers (the "Persian" kind are the most appropriate)

[Shelby]

Sooooo, Shel_B, what did you end up doing?  I plan on making this salad soon.

[Shel_B]

with the exception of the

Sooooo, Shel_B, what did you end up doing?  I plan on making this salad soon.

 

Hi, Shelby ...

 

I used this recipe http://www.mamaslebanesekitchen.com/salads/fattoush-salad-recipe/ with the exception of the purslane and adjustments to the amount of mint and parsley to accommodate the tastes and preferences of my guests.  I didn't use green bell peppers, rather, some red peppers that I grew (and I forget what they were - I am growing three varieties - but they were a little spicier than red bells).  I also three varieties of cherry tomatoes from our garden - mmm!  Nice and fresh and ripe!

 

I accidentally found some pomegranate molasses at the last minute, so there was no need to make my own - a big time saver!  Everyone loved the molasses flavor in the salad, and the sumac was a BIG hit as well.

 

This is a nice salad ... it lends itself well to adjustments.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Shel_B (log)