What is fatteh with hummus?
Fatteh is an Arabic term that means “to crumble,” or “crumbs.” Fatteh recipes are called such because of the crumbled pita bread (khobz or khobuz in Arabic). Or probably because the dish crumbles somehow when served. Fatteh recipes vary; we are sharing with you fatteh with hummus (garbanzo beans).
The crumbling makes this easy dish intriguing because the texture it creates becomes a tantalizing bit – the mixture of smooth and crunchy bits from its sauce and the rest of the ingredients.
Origin of fatteh recipe
Depending on the region the recipe is coming from, the ingredients and the spices differ. Fatteh recipes can be Lebanese, Turkish, Syrian, Egyptian, or Palestinian – a Middle Eastern dish then. Centuries ago, Egyptian and Palestinian fatteh had rice in their lineup of ingredients. These days, fatteh is known for its day-old bread which is fried or baked until crunchy.
The recipe here hailed from the kitchen of my Lebanese sister-in-law which she did when she came for a visit more than 10 years ago. I watched her as she prepared the dish and I asked questions until I had memorized the ingredients and the steps. Then the first time I did this recipe, about a month after she returned to her homeland, I used the recipe in memory. Successful, it was! And it has become one of my many favorites. Her version, of course, is a Lebanese fatteh.
Recipe ingredients of fatteh with hummus
This dish is a healthy option and is a complete meal by itself. Watching my sister-in-law do it, I was impressed with the healthy choice of ingredients. Also, the ingredients are pantry-and refrigerator-ready. I mean, finding the ingredients is stress-free! They are practically already available anytime. Her recipe had undergone a bit of adjustment to suit my preference, and she was pleased with what turned out.
Like Filipino nilaga‘s names, Fatteh recipes take their (extended) name by adding the main ingredient with the term fatteh, such as eggplant fatteh, fattat hummus, etc. My sister-in-law’s recipe is generous. She used both hummus and eggplant in her recipe in addition to ground beef! So, if you feel like omitting the eggplant or chickpea in this recipe, you are good to go. Below are the ingredients in this generous recipe:
- Ground beef
- Eggplants
- Cooked chickpeas. Of course, you can start with raw chickpeas and boil/cook them to your liking to include in this recipe.
- Plain yogurt. Greek yogurt is a good alternative. Either of them will create that tangy yogurt sauce for this dish.
- Garlic cloves. Preferably fresh minced garlic. If you find this strong, garlic powder would be a good replacement.
- Fresh lemon juice.
- Fresh parsley for garnishing
- Pine Nuts
- Tahini Paste
- Extra Virgin Olive oil
- Pita bread. I prefer using fresh pita bread. A day-old or leftover pita might not make much difference in the baking tray – they would still come out the same.
- Salt
- Sweet paprika powder
- Cumin powder
- Ground coriander
- Fresh pomegranate seeds
How to prepare fatteh
The steps might seem tedious, but they are not, you will see. You can have this dish ready in no time.
Pita bread for pita chips
- Cut pita bread into about 1-inch squares, drizzle with olive oil or butter, and bake until golden to make pita chips.
Eggplant
- Dice eggplant, soak in water for about 20 minutes, drain, spray, or brush with olive oil, and cook in an air fryer until golden brown. Alternatively, fry in a pan over medium heat while stirring, or place on a baking sheet and bake, turning once, until golden.
Beef
- Sautee beef in as little oil as you can. Season with salt, black pepper, cumin, and paprika powder. Cook stirring until all the juices come out and have evaporated. Add the rest of the spices and stir for a minute.
Chickpeas
- While cooking beef, drain cooked chickpeas.
Yogurt and Tahini
- In a mixing bowl or any medium bowl, and using a manual beater, mix yogurt and tahini until smooth, adding no more than a teaspoon salt, juice of fresh lemon, and minced garlic in between.
Pine Nuts
- Gently roast pine nuts in a pan. Set aside.
- Layer the ingredients in a baking dish starting with pita bread, followed by beef, eggplant, and chickpeas. Top with yogurt mixture and design with chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds, and pine nuts.
How to store leftover fatteh
Leftover? You won’t have any, my dear! But just in case, cover the dish with cling film or gently move them in the same single layer to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for another day. Just remember:
- the pita bread will absorb the yogurt mixture making your fatteh soft (than crunchy). I still love it this way!
- the roasted eggplant will also absorb that sauce – awesome, to be honest!
- the crunchy pine nuts will not be crunchy anymore, but it is still okay.
- take the pomegranate seeds out and replace them with fresh ones when serving the dish (a day after?)
Additional tips:
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- Replace beef with any ground meats. Chicken fatteh is also worth trying – just replace the ground beef with ground chicken.
- Omit the meats for a vegetarian version – I had done this and it was lovely.
- If you are tempted to use the food processor to mix your ingredients, go for it. This is especially true if you are using fresh garlic and you want its texture to disperse with the mixture. This helps in avoiding a garlicky yogurt mixture.
- You may want to warm chickpeas before layering them. It is a nice touch.
- Sprinkle the dish with sumac before serving. Adding chopped fresh mint (about half a teaspoon) as garnishing adds tease to the taste.
- If you wish to prepare this in advance, layer them a few minutes before serving.
Fatteh never fails to please my taste buds. They are good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Perfect choice for potluck get-togethers and special occasions. Filling but light, it satiates so pleasantly.
Fatteh Recipe
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Fatteh with Hummus
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: appetizer
- Method: cooking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Description
Easy-to-make fatteh with hummus (chickpeas), ground beef, and eggplant good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as an appetizer. Also a best candidate for potluck get-togethers.
Ingredients
For fatteh layers
- 4 pita breads
- butter or olive oil for baking or frying (divided for pita breads and eggplants)
- 3 cups eggplant (diced into about 1/2-inch pieces
- 1–1/2 cups chickpeas
- 500 grams ground beef
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Yogurt Tahini Sauce
- 4 cups plain yoghurt
- 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
- 2 tbsp juice of fresh lemon
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
For toppings
- 125 grams pomegranate seeds
- 50 grams toasted pinenuts
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, shredded finely
Instructions
- Cut pita bread into 1/2-inch triangles (more or less). Place them onto a baking dish, sprinkle with olive oil, or butter and bake at 300°C for 12 minutes. Turn once and bake again for another 8-10 minutes. Alternatively, fry the pre-cut pita bread in butter or olive oil until they become golden. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl or any medium bowl, and using a manual beater, mix yogurt and tahini until smooth, adding no more than a teaspoon salt, juice of fresh lemon, and minced garlic. Set aside.
- Drain eggplants and dry them using a paper towel. Spread onto an air fryer basket and cook until light brown. Alternatively, fry eggplant cubes with olive oil until golden or light brown.
- Roast ground beef in a little oil on a pan until the juices come out. Add spices: cumin, coriander powder, sweet paprika and salt. Stir for a bit and set aside.
- Layer the fattah on your choice of deep dish starting with the crunchy pita, followed by the chickpeas and ground beef, then cover them with the yogurt-tahini mixture.
- Top with toasted fine nuts, fresh pomegranate seeds, and chopped parsley.
