Serves 6
Of the many ways to reinvent stale bread and add it to a dish, the Middle Eastern salad fattoush is one of the most interesting. It's made in many countries, in a variety of ways. In most recipes, cut-up pita is fried until golden and crunchy, then added to a bowl of crisp vegetables. Here, little squares of pita are toasted in the oven, which works well if you toss the pieces several times as they brown (depending on how thick the bread is and how long you've had it, toasted pita can take anywhere from six to 10 minutes). To add heft to the salad and turn it into a vegetarian dinner, this recipe adds farro, a nutty wheat grain. Farro comes in several forms, depending on how it's been processed, that include pearled (no bran on the outer layer), semi-pearled, and whole. Unfortunately, manufacturers don't always label what kind of farro is in the package. Don't despair. Pearled will take the least time to cook, whole the most. In all cases, rinse farro to remove dust on the grain. Then tip it into a pot of boiling water and don't bother to measure the water (pretend you're cooking pasta). Simmer the grains till they're tender but still have a little bite. Just keep tasting. Add the pita chips at the last minute so they don't get soggy. Top bowls of farro fattoush with a slab of grilled eggplant or zucchini, or a fried egg.
| 1 | cup whole farro |
| Salt, to taste | |
| Olive oil (for sprinkling) | |
| 2 | pita rounds (about 8 inches) |
| ½ | pint cherry tomatoes, halved |
| 2 | small cucumbers, thinly sliced |
| 4 | small radishes, thinly sliced |
| 4 | tablespoons olive oil |
| 2 | tablespoons red wine vinegar |
| 1 | teaspoon harissa paste |
| ¼ | cup parsley |
1. Set the oven at 375 degrees. Have on hand 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Line 1 sheet with parchment paper.
2. Tip the farro into a strainer and rinse it well under a cold tap. Shake the strainer to remove excess water.
3. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the farro and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 40 minutes, or until the grains are tender. Taste a few grains to test them. They will not absorb all the water; that's OK. Drain into a colander and rinse with cold water. Shake the colander to remove excess moisture. Tip the farro onto the parchment-lined sheet. Sprinkle lightly with olive oil. Stir and set aside to cool.
4. Meanwhile, without separating the rounds, cut the pita bread into 1-inch squares. Pile them onto the unlined baking sheet. Sprinkle sparingly with olive oil and salt. With your hands, toss the squares. Spread them out on the sheet; it's not necessary to make a single layer. Transfer to the oven and toast, tossing several times, for 6 to 10 minutes, or until they are golden and crisp.
5. In another bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, and radishes. Add the olive oil, vinegar, harissa, and a pinch of salt. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
6. Add the tomato mixture to the farro with the parsley. Use a rubber spatula to fold them together. Taste the salad for seasoning and add more salt or vinegar, if you like.
7. Just before serving, fold in the pita squares. They turn soggy, so you cannot do this in advance.
Sheryl Julian
Serves 6
Of the many ways to reinvent stale bread and add it to a dish, the Middle Eastern salad fattoush is one of the most interesting. It's made in many countries, in a variety of ways. In most recipes, cut-up pita is fried until golden and crunchy, then added to a bowl of crisp vegetables. Here, little squares of pita are toasted in the oven, which works well if you toss the pieces several times as they brown (depending on how thick the bread is and how long you've had it, toasted pita can take anywhere from six to 10 minutes). To add heft to the salad and turn it into a vegetarian dinner, this recipe adds farro, a nutty wheat grain. Farro comes in several forms, depending on how it's been processed, that include pearled (no bran on the outer layer), semi-pearled, and whole. Unfortunately, manufacturers don't always label what kind of farro is in the package. Don't despair. Pearled will take the least time to cook, whole the most. In all cases, rinse farro to remove dust on the grain. Then tip it into a pot of boiling water and don't bother to measure the water (pretend you're cooking pasta). Simmer the grains till they're tender but still have a little bite. Just keep tasting. Add the pita chips at the last minute so they don't get soggy. Top bowls of farro fattoush with a slab of grilled eggplant or zucchini, or a fried egg.
| 1 | cup whole farro |
| Salt, to taste | |
| Olive oil (for sprinkling) | |
| 2 | pita rounds (about 8 inches) |
| ½ | pint cherry tomatoes, halved |
| 2 | small cucumbers, thinly sliced |
| 4 | small radishes, thinly sliced |
| 4 | tablespoons olive oil |
| 2 | tablespoons red wine vinegar |
| 1 | teaspoon harissa paste |
| ¼ | cup parsley |
1. Set the oven at 375 degrees. Have on hand 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Line 1 sheet with parchment paper.
2. Tip the farro into a strainer and rinse it well under a cold tap. Shake the strainer to remove excess water.
3. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the farro and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 40 minutes, or until the grains are tender. Taste a few grains to test them. They will not absorb all the water; that's OK. Drain into a colander and rinse with cold water. Shake the colander to remove excess moisture. Tip the farro onto the parchment-lined sheet. Sprinkle lightly with olive oil. Stir and set aside to cool.
4. Meanwhile, without separating the rounds, cut the pita bread into 1-inch squares. Pile them onto the unlined baking sheet. Sprinkle sparingly with olive oil and salt. With your hands, toss the squares. Spread them out on the sheet; it's not necessary to make a single layer. Transfer to the oven and toast, tossing several times, for 6 to 10 minutes, or until they are golden and crisp.
5. In another bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, and radishes. Add the olive oil, vinegar, harissa, and a pinch of salt. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
6. Add the tomato mixture to the farro with the parsley. Use a rubber spatula to fold them together. Taste the salad for seasoning and add more salt or vinegar, if you like.
7. Just before serving, fold in the pita squares. They turn soggy, so you cannot do this in advance.
Sheryl Julian can be reached at sheryl.julian@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @sheryljulian.