To many American home cooks, stale bread is a waste. But cooks elsewhere in the world see it as an opportunity. From this mindset come delicious bread salads that put simple, store-bought croutons to shame. In Lebanon, day-old pita bread becomes fatteh, a tasty breakfast that includes chickpeas, yogurt, and tahini for a crunchy, velvety salad that’s good any time of day. For our take on the classic Italian panzanella, we mimic the unctuous texture of burrata cheese by soaking balls of mozzarella in cream. And quick-pickled grapes bring pops of tart sweetness to our spin on fattoush, a Levantine chopped salad that mixes broken pita chips with cucumber, romaine, and fresh dill.
Panzanella With Fresh Mozzarella
Makes 4 servings
This version of the classic Italian bread salad was inspired by a panzanella from Ruffage author Abra Berens. We tear the bread into pieces to create more texture. We also quick-pickle red onion in sherry vinegar to add sharp bites of acidity. Finally, we soak pieces of fresh mozzarella in cream to add richness and mimic the butteriness of burrata cheese. Fresh basil and parsley, left as leaves rather than chopped, are tossed into the salad just before serving to add vibrant color and summery fragrance as well as fresh herbal flavor.
Be sure to salt the tomatoes as the first step. This ensures they are seasoned throughout, which is especially important if they aren’t at the peak of ripeness. It also softens their texture. And, it’s important to use fresh mozzarella, often sold packed in water. Regular mozzarella doesn’t work in this recipe.
1½ pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
8 ounces crusty white bread, sliced ½-inch thick and torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil
In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with ½ teaspoon salt; set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the red onion, vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon salt; set aside.
In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, toss the bread with the oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and light golden brown, 4 to 8 minutes. Immediately transfer to the bowl with the tomatoes and toss. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, using your hands, tear the mozzarella into bite-size chunks and add to them a small bowl. Stir in the cream, lemon zest, a pinch of salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the onion to the tomato-bread mixture, reserving the vinegar. Add the parsley and basil, then toss. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and some of the reserved vinegar, if needed. Transfer to a serving dish, then top with the cheese mixture and a generous drizzle of oil.
Pita, Chickpea, and Herb Salad With Tahini Yogurt
Makes 4 servings
Known as fatteh in the Levant, this dish is a way to turn stale pita into a meal. We, however, start with fresh pita, brush it with olive oil and crisp it in the oven, then break it into shards before topping the pieces with warmed chickpeas. Yogurt spiked with garlic, tahini, and lemon ties everything together. Za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend that usually includes sesame seeds, sumac, thyme, and oregano, adds complex flavor while pistachios add richness. Fatteh typically is served for breakfast, but with so many textures and flavors, we think it also makes a light yet satisfying dinner.
2 8-inch pita breads, each split into 2 rounds
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
2½ teaspoons ground cumin, divided
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
¼ cup tahini
2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 15½-ounce cans chickpeas, 3 tablespoons liquid reserved, then drained
1½ teaspoons za’atar, plus more to serve
1½ cups lightly packed fresh mint, dill, parsley, or a combination, torn if large
1/3 cup roasted pistachios
Heat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the middle position. On a rimmed baking sheet, brush both sides of the pita rounds with the oil, then sprinkle them evenly with 2 teaspoons cumin.
Bake until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes total, flipping once halfway through. Cool to room temperature.
While the pita cools, in a small bowl whisk together the yogurt, tahini, garlic, lemon zest and juice, the remaining ½ teaspoon cumin, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper; set aside.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, toss the chickpeas and the reserved liquid with the za’atar and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and microwave on high until hot, 3 to 3½ minutes, stirring once halfway through.
Break the cooled pita into bite-size pieces and place in a wide, shallow serving bowl or divide among 4 individual bowls. Using a slotted spoon, arrange the warm chickpeas on top.
Spoon on the yogurt mixture, then top with the herbs, pistachios, and a generous drizzle of oil. Sprinkle with additional za’atar.
Fattoush
Makes 6 servings
For this salad, we brush rounds of pita with oil and bake them until nicely browned — we think the crunchy pita combined with the different textures of the other ingredients is a large part of the dish’s appeal. Pickled grapes are not a common fattoush ingredient; we tried them in a fattoush at chef Ana Sortun’s Oleana restaurant in Cambridge and loved their sweet-tart flavor and succulent texture. Both the pita and the grapes can be prepared a day in advance; store the pita in an airtight container.
Sumac has earthy, citrusy notes, and pomegranate molasses is tangy and lightly fruity in taste. Both ingredients are optional, but they give the fattoush complexity and a distinct Middle Eastern character.
Combine the salad ingredients just before serving to keep the pita chips from getting soggy.
1 pound seedless red grapes, halved
¼ cup cider vinegar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 8-inch pita bread rounds, each split into 2 rounds
½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
½ cup finely chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (optional)
2 teaspoons ground sumac (optional)
1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced
6- to 7-ounce romaine heart, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Heat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the middle position. In a medium bowl, stir together the grapes, vinegar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and refrigerate.
In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup of oil, the garlic, cumin, and pepper flakes (you should have 6 tablespoons of flavored oil). Arrange the pita rounds rough side up on a rimmed baking sheet, then brush each with the flavored oil, using all 6 tablespoons. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, break into bite-size pieces.
Drain the grapes, reserving the pickling liquid. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup of oil, the yogurt, dill, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and, if using, the molasses and sumac. Add the reserved pickling liquid and whisk well. Add the cucumber, romaine, mint, pickled grapes, and pita pieces. Toss until evenly coated.
Christopher Kimball is the founder of Milk Street, home to a magazine, school, and radio and television shows. Globe readers get 12 weeks of complete digital access, plus two issues of Milk Street print magazine, for just $1. Go to 177milkstreet.com/globe. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.
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