Fattoush Salad with Eggplant & Feta

Fattoush is the bread salad of the Middle East, with lots of bright parsley and tart sumac. This version tosses torn pita with creamy eggplant and crispy chickpeas to make it hearty.

What You Get

Eggplant

Chickpeas

Dry-farmed tomatoes

Parsley

Lemons

Pita bread

Little gems

Feta cheese

Sumac (Middle Eastern spice)

What You’ll Need

Olive oil

Salt

Garlic (optional)

Makes 3 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes 

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment or foil.

Step 2

Cut the eggplant into bite-size pieces. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Pile the eggplant and chickpeas on one of the prepared pans, drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt, and toss to coat. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the eggplant is tender and the chickpeas are golden, about 30 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, dice the tomatoes. Chop the parsley, including some of the stems (you should have about 1 cup chopped). Mince ½ clove of garlic, if using. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, parsley, and garlic. Drizzle with the juice of 1½ lemons and 3 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt, and toss to coat. When the eggplant and chickpeas are ready, fold them into the tomato-parsley mixture, and let cool and marinate, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Meanwhile, place 3 pieces of pita bread on the other pan and bake until dried out and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, break the pita into bite-size pieces.

Step 5

Trim away the base from the little gems and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Rinse to remove any grit and pat dry. In a large bowl, toss the gems with the juice of ½ lemon and a pinch of salt. Fold in the eggplant mixture and pita crisps last.

Step 6

Heap the salad mixture on plates, sprinkle with the feta and sumac, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.