andrejthechef
LebanonBowlBreakfastVegetarian

Fatteh Hummus

Lebanese fatteh with chickpeas: crisp toasted pita, warm chickpeas and a garlicky tahini yogurt sauce, topped with butter-toasted almonds and pine nuts. Ready in about 40 minutes.

prep
15 min
cook
25 min
total
40 min
serves
4
level
easy
A shallow stoneware bowl of fatteh with warm chickpeas and crisp pita pieces under a garlicky yogurt sauce, topped with toasted almonds, pine nuts and chopped parsley

Fatteh is a Levantine dish built on toasted or fried pieces of stale flatbread, and the chickpea version is a popular breakfast bowl in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. Warm chickpeas sit on the bread, a garlicky yogurt and tahini sauce goes over everything, and nuts toasted in sizzling butter finish it.

The contrast between crunchy and creamy is the point, so timing matters. Bake the pita until it is truly crisp, warm the chickpeas in some of their own liquid, and use whole milk yogurt, because low-fat yogurt turns thin and runny when it meets hot chickpeas. Assemble just before serving so the bread softens at the edges but stays crunchy in the middle.

If you want a bowl of smooth hummus on the table as well, my classic hummus is a good partner.

Fatteh Hummus is one of the best breakfasts from around the world.

method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss the torn pita with the olive oil and a pinch of salt on a rimmed baking sheet, spread in a single layer, and bake 8 to 12 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp all the way through. Let cool.

  2. Make the sauce: whisk the crushed garlic into the yogurt with the tahini, lemon juice, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt until smooth. If it is stiff, thin it with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water; it should coat a spoon like thick cream. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon.

  3. Warm the chickpeas in a small pot over medium heat with the cooking liquid and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt for about 5 minutes, until steaming hot. Crush a few chickpeas against the side of the pot to thicken the liquid slightly, and keep warm.

  4. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to turn golden, then add the pine nuts for the last minute, until both are golden brown. Pine nuts burn quickly, so take the pan off the heat right away.

  5. Assemble: divide the pita pieces among 4 shallow bowls, spoon over the hot chickpeas with a little of their liquid, then the yogurt sauce. Top with the nuts and their butter, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

chef's tips

  • Stale or leftover pita is ideal. If yours is fresh, bake it a few minutes longer so it fully crisps.
  • Everything except the final assembly can be done a day ahead: keep the pita in an airtight container at room temperature, the sauce in the fridge, and reheat the chickpeas just before serving.
  • Crushing garlic with salt tames its raw bite. For a milder sauce use 1 clove.
  • Use warm, not boiling, chickpeas. Very hot chickpeas can make the yogurt sauce thin out.