Fatteh in the Middle East is a dish that has many variations. Today I will be making Eggplant Fatteh, but not the traditional one that is widely known and made with eggplants cooked in a tomato sauce. Mine, (which is essentially my moms recipe) is made with eggplants and lemon juice, a combo made in heaven.
You can fry your eggplant cubes or roast them in the oven, works well both ways. But if you are roasting them make sure to generously drizzle olive oil on them in order for them to fully cook. Same applies to the bread. I will be using pita bread and I have never fried pita bread for a fatteh. I hate frying in general, it requires too much cleaning and the whole house smells of hot oil. Just drizzle oil on the pita cubes and toast them in the oven on the middle shelf. Trust me they will end up golden and super crunchy. Or use the air fryer if you have one.
For the sauce we will be using a yoghurt sauce with no tahini added. Just yoghurt, garlic and salt.
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant or 2 medium
- 2-3 pita breads cubed and toasted /fried
- 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
- 1 cup parsley
- 2 green onions
- Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds / pine nuts
- 3 cups yoghurt
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- salt
* Cut the pita bread into cubes, drizzle with a generous amount of olive or vegetable oil and toast in the oven also until golden.
*Make the yoghurt sauce by mixing the yoghurt with the crushed garlic and salt.
*Now assemble: In the serving bowl lay the toasted bread at the bottom. Cover with a layer of eggplant, make sure to cover the corners as well.
*Spread the chickpeas, a generous sprinkle of chopped parsley, and green onions. Now drizzle the lemon juice equally all over.
*Pour the yoghurt sauce and cover everything.
*Fry the pine nuts or sliced almonds with a tiny amount of oil or butter until they turn light gold and pour them on top of the yoghurt. This will sizzle gorgeously.
*Garnish with more parsley and chickpeas and enjoy. You must dig in right away, otherwise the bread will turn soggy. Sahtain!