The word ‘Fatteh’ literally translates to ‘crumbs’ and is a wonderful combination of toasted pita bread, chickpeas, a tangy yogurt sauce, and a protein – I’ve used soy mince to make this a vegan (or vegetarian chickpea recipe – depending on if you use plant-based yogurt). I love love love this recipe and like to think of this ‘chickpea salad’ as the Levantine ‘nachos’ in my life. Not only is it incredibly quick to pull together, but it can be eaten as a snack, starter, breakfast or even alongside a meal. It’s yet another way to use leftover pita – much like we do in Lebanon with this Fattoush Salad. Waste not, want not – after all. The best thing is – it’s so quick and easy to pull together because it’s mostly using leftovers and bits that time a couple of minutes to prepare – like the cooked chickpeas, pita, and leftover yogurt in the fridge. The only aspects that need any sort of ‘effort’ are cooking up the soy mince – and that only takes a few minutes. Plus, preparing the garlic yogurt mixture – which is basically just mixing a few ingredients. The entire chickpea pita dish can quickly be pulled together in under 10 minutes (but can be as low as just a few minutes, if you’re using leftover protein too that just needs reheating) and never longer than 20 minutes!
Ingredients
Cooked chickpeas, soy mince, pine nuts, garlic Plain yogurt or almond yogurt Salt and pepper, cinnamon, olive oil, dried mint, fresh parsley Optional: lemon juice
How to make chickpea fatteh
Prepare the chickpeas. I used some of my pre-prepared frozen chickpeas and let them thaw out while I prepared the rest of the ingredients. I always recommend using dried chickpeas that you would cook yourself, rather than using the canned ones because they’re cheaper AND taste better. You first need to soak them for 8 hours, then cook them for 30-40 minutes. However, for all the tips and tricks, check out the guide on how to cook chickpeas. Note* For this recipe, I add the chickpeas in plain. However, if you want more of a ‘spiced chickpea’, then you can chuck them into the pan while you’re cooking your soy mince and they’ll grab a little of the flavor and some slight crispness too. Begin by mixing the yogurt of your choice with the dry mint, salt, and smashed garlic. If you like the mixture a little runnier, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of fresh water. Next, heat the olive oil over medium heat and toast the pine nuts for a minute or two. Observe because it doesn’t take long for them to burn if left alone. Add the soy mince along with the rest of the spices and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until cooked through entirely. The next step is to prepare the toasted flatbread. I used my homemade pita bread and cut it down into pieces. The pieces need to be arranged on a baking tray and grilled in the oven for a few minutes. Keep an eye on them, so they don’t burn and toast for 2 minutes on each side, to achieve a crispy bread. Finally, it’s time to assemble. In a large bowl, first, add the chickpeas, then lay over the toasted pitas. Next, cover them with the yogurt dip, and add the soy mince/pine nuts mix. Lastly, top with some fresh parsley (and then promptly mess up the organization by mixing it all in together, if you’re me!). Add an optional squeeze of lemon juice, if you like and voila – your chickpea fatteh is ready to eat.
Recipe notes
Add some tahini into the yogurt mixture, for an even creamier, hummus-like sauce. You can swap out the protein for your choice of meat/meat-free alternative. You can even use roasted eggplant, for a different take on the dish. If you want to pre-prepare this dish, then keep the ‘wet’ ingredient, i.e. the yogurt dip in a separate container. Mix it all, when ready. That way you won’t be left with soggy pita bread when it comes time to eat the dish. I already mentioned above that you could add the chickpeas to the pan when frying the soy mince, for a lightly spiced, crispier version. However, you can also throw in a handful of leftover roasted chickpeas (recipe coming soon) for an even crunchier addition. For added ‘zing’, you could also add some very finely chopped red onion (or add some to the pan when preparing the soy mince)
Other recipes you might like
If Vegan and vegetarian chickpea recipes are what you’re looking for, then I’ve got your back. Perhaps these Easy Rainbow Vegan Falafels 5-ways or the classic dish (with a twist) Rainbow Hummus 6 ways. If you want more Lebanese/ Middle-Eastern inspiration, then you might like these Lebanese Spicy Potatoes Batata Harra, Spinach Fatayer (Lebanese spinach pie), or perhaps these Simple Stuffed Makdous Recipe (cured eggplant). If you have questions, ask them in the comments. I also love seeing your recipe recreations, so feel free to tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie.
