Fatteh

Fatteh (Lebanese Chickpea and Yoghurt Flatbread)

A classic Levantine breakfast or mezze of crisp flatbread, warm chickpeas and garlicky yoghurt, finished with sizzling butter and toasted pine nuts. Assemble at the table so the bread keeps some crunch.

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •2 large rounds pita or markook flatbread, stale bread works well
• •3 tbsp olive oil or ghee, for toasting the bread
• •400 g (14 oz) cooked chickpeas, canned, drained and rinsed, or home-cooked
• •150 ml (5 fl oz) water, or chickpea cooking liquid
• •300 g (10½ oz) full-fat Greek yoghurt, labneh can be thinned with a little milk
• •2 cloves garlic, finely grated to a paste with a pinch of salt
• •1 tbsp tahini, stirred smooth; optional but traditional in many families
• •1 tbsp lemon juice, to taste
• •40 g (1½ oz) pine nuts, raw
• •40 g (1½ oz) unsalted butter, or 3 tbsp olive oil
• •1 tsp ground sumac, for finishing
• •1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped, optional

Steps

1. 1 Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Tear or cut the flatbread into rough 3 cm (1¼ inch) pieces. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil or ghee, spread on a tray and bake for 8–10 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp at the edges but still slightly chewy in the centre. Alternatively, fry the pieces in a little oil until golden and drain on kitchen paper.
2. 2 While the bread toasts, put the chickpeas and 150 ml (5 fl oz) water in a small pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and keep warm over low heat for 5 minutes so they are hot through.
3. 3 In a bowl, whisk the yoghurt with the garlic paste, tahini (if using) and lemon juice until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt. The mixture should be pourable but thick; loosen with a teaspoon of milk or chickpea liquid if needed.
4. 4 In a small frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until evenly golden. Take off the heat as soon as they colour - they burn quickly.
5. 5 To assemble, spread the toasted bread in a wide serving dish. Spoon the warm chickpeas and their liquid over the bread. Pour the yoghurt mixture evenly on top.
6. 6 Reheat the butter and pine nuts until the butter is foaming, then pour the sizzling butter and nuts over the yoghurt at the table. Scatter with sumac and parsley and serve immediately, while the bread still has crunch.
7. 7 Safety note: chickpeas must be fully cooked before use - if cooking from dry, soak overnight, then boil for at least 60 minutes until completely tender with no hard centre. Canned chickpeas are already cooked and only need heating through to a simmer (74°C / 165°F).