Healthy Salads - Middle Eastern Pita and Fattoush Salad

Flat breads become stale very quickly, so it’s no surprise that there’s an array of Arab dishes made with crumbled up pitas. This is my favorite destination for them (I love any dish where bread is soaked with salad dressing). You can use whatever greens look good in your market -- arugula, watercress, purslane, and cut up leaves of romaine lettuce are all acceptable. The Middle Eastern spice sumac is available in Middle Eastern markets, but the salad will still be delicious if you don’t include it. To keep the fat a little lower I’ve substituted plain low-fat yogurt for some of the olive oil in the authentic recipe.

3 (6-inch) Arabic pita breads

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or pureed (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 pound tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 European cucumber or 3 Persian cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise, then into half-moon slices

6 scallions, white and light green parts, sliced

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup slivered fresh mint leaves

1 romaine lettuce heart (the lighter, inner leaves), washed, dried, cut crosswise in 1/2-inch wide pieces

4 cups (loosely packed) coarsely chopped arugula, watercress, or purslane (or a combination),

2 teaspoons ground sumac (optional)

Note: You can substitute an additional romaine heart for the arugula, watercress and purslane.

1. If your pita breads are hard, break them up into pieces. If they are not, cut them into quarters and split the quarters open. Toast the pieces in a toaster oven, or in a 325ºF oven, until lightly browned and crisp.

2. Combine the garlic, lemon juice, salt, olive oil, yogurt, and pepper in a small bowl.

3. Toss the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Just before serving, add the dressing and toss together. Crumble in the pita bread and toss again. Taste, adjust seasonings, and serve.

Variation: Not traditional, but good: Add 1 small ripe avocado, diced, to the salad ingredients.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8 generously

Advance preparation: You can prep the vegetables and toast the pitas hours before composing the salad. But don’t toss the salad until just before serving.