Fattoush Salad

Fattoush salad is a great mix of fresh vegetables, a bright dressing, and pieces of crisp pita bread. Add feta cheese, olives, pepperoncini, and other flavorful items at will. Easy, light, yet filling - it's a great addition to grilled dinners or as a light dinner all on its own.

Fattoush salad is endlessly flexible. Use the formula below (with its many options) as a starting point. Tweak, add, and subtract ingredients depending on that magical combination of your taste and what's in your kitchen.

I like to use Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette for this salad, but feel free to apply whatever lemony dressing you like.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 to 4 pita breads
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds (optional)
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1/2 red onion
• 4 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cup mint leaves (optional)
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves (optional)
• 1/2 to 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)
• 3 to 4 Tbsp. Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette or similar salad dressing
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
• 12 to 24 Kalamata or similar black olives (optional)
• Tahini (sesame paste) for drizzling (optional)
• Garlic Yogurt Dressing for drizzling (optional)

Preparation:

1.   Toast pita breads, cool, and break into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

2.   If using cumin, heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat and toast cumin seeds until fragrant, about 1 minute. Let seeds cool and crush lightly in a mortar and pestle or with the bottom of a small frying pan. Set aside. (See How to Toast Cumin Seeds.)

3.   Tear or chop lettuce into bite-size pieces, wash and dry lettuce, put leaves in a very large bowl.

4.   Thinly slice red onion and add to lettuce.

5.   Chop tomatoes and add to lettuce.

6.   Peel cucumber, if you like. Cut in half lengthwise. Spoon out seeds, if you like, cut into thin half-moons, and add to lettuce.

7.   Cut mint into ribbons, chop cilantro and parsley, and add to lettuce.

8.   Add pita pieces to lettuce. Drizzle salad mixture with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette and toss thoroughly.

9.   Divide salad between serving plates to arrange on a large platter. Top with crumbled feta cheese and olives, if you like. Drizzle with tahini and/or Garlic Yogurt Dressing, if you like. Sprinkle with reserved toasted, ground cumin seeds, if you like.

Makes 4 to 6 servings Fattoush Salad.