We know it’s a bit early for tomatoes, but this salad tastes good even with the blandest of specimens, so you’re good to go. A great side dish for a barbecue. You can get everything prepped up to an hour in advance but don’t toss it all together until ready to serve.
Tomato & za’atar fatoush – serves 4
- 1 pitta, cut in half to make two thin round pieces
- olive oil
- 1 head of Little Gem lettuce
- 250g mixed tomatoes
- 150g feta
- 2 springs of fresh oregano, leaves picked
- 2 tsp za’atar
- 2 heaped tbsp fresh pomegranate seeds
FOR THE DRESSING:
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 tbsp good olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- a pinch of black pepper
Peel the garlic and bash with a knife to flatten. Mix it with the other dressing ingredients and allow to infuse for an hour at room temperature. Discard the garlic clove before mixing the dressing with the salad.
Brush the pitta bread with a little olive oil and toast until lightly golden and crispy. Break into bite-sized pieces.
Separate the lettuce leaves and cut into large strips.
Cut the tomatoes in different ways – slice some, chop into chunks and just half the little ones. You want them bite-sized rather than finely chopped.
Break the feta into chunks.
When ready to serve put the pitta pieces, lettuce, tomatoes, feta, oregano and za’atar into a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and gently mix everything together. Serve on a large platter with the pomegranate seeds sprinkled over.
(Original recipe from Honey & Co. Food from the Middle East by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 