A Different Fattoush Salad

This salad recipe adapted from Cooking in Real Life by Lidey Heuck appeared in the New York Times on Wednesday April 3, 2024. It is a delicious salad but although the recipes states it can be made ahead, I would caution you to keep the toasted pita bits to one side not mixed in with the salad. We found the pita bread becomes quite soggy soaking up all the delicious juices if you eat it the next day.

The dressing can be made in advance.  Tonight I had no halloumi and skipped toasting the pita bread, it was still a good salad without the halloumi or toasted pita!

Ingredients for the dressing

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper

Ingredients for the salad

3 medium tomatoes diced into 1/2 inch pieces

1 (15 oz) can chick peas drained

1 orange or yellow bell pepper diced into half inch pieces

1 large English cucumber halved and diced into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup minced red onion or shallot

2 tablespoon capers coarsely chopped 

2 scallions thinly sliced

1 lemon squeezed

a pinch of citric acid

1/2 pita bread (optional)

1 8oz block of halloumi cheese - use 4 oz. Cut into 3/4 inch thick slices (optional)

Directions

Dressing

In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup olive oil with 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar, garlic and oregano. Whisk vigorously to combine then season with salt and pepper

Salad

In a large bowl combine tomatoes chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumber, olives, parsley, red onion, capers and scallions. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.

The pita bread and halloumi is optional, the salad is terrific without these two ingredients

Chop the pita bread into 1 inch pieces and place in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, sauté the pita bread until toasted and golden brown.

About 3 minutes. Return the toast pita to the bowl.

Place the halloumi slices on a small plate and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat the same skillet over medium high heat and cook the halloumi until golden brown, approximately 2-3 mins per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut the slices into bite size cubes.

Add the pita and halloumi to the salad and serve.