Fatteh with Chickpeas and Labneh
A comforting and flavorful Levantine dish featuring layers of toasted pita bread, chickpeas, a tangy labneh-yogurt sauce, and a sprinkle of toasted nuts and herbs. It's a popular breakfast or light meal option.
🧂 Ingredients
- 3 medium Pita bread(cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 400 g Chickpeas(canned, drained and rinsed, or cooked from dry)
- 200 g Labneh(strained yogurt)
- 100 g Plain yogurt(full-fat)
- 2 cloves Garlic(minced)
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Tahini
- 3 tbsp Olive oil(plus more for drizzling)
- 50 g Pine nuts(toasted)
- 2 tbsp Fresh parsley(chopped, for garnish)
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black pepper
- 1 tsp Sumac(optional, for garnish)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Toast the pita bread pieces in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown and crisp. Alternatively, bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 8-10 minutes. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 minutes💡 Tip: Ensure pita is fully dried out for best texture. - 2
In a bowl, whisk together the labneh, plain yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, and tahini until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water.
💡 Tip: Adjust lemon juice and tahini to your preference. - 3
Gently warm the drained chickpeas in a small pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, or microwave them for a minute. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
⏱️ 2 minutes - 4
To assemble, spread the toasted pita pieces in a shallow serving dish. Top with the warmed chickpeas.
💡 Tip: Use a wide, shallow dish for easy layering and serving. - 5
Pour the labneh-yogurt sauce evenly over the chickpeas and pita. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
💡 Tip: Ensure the sauce coats all the ingredients. - 6
Garnish generously with toasted pine nuts, chopped fresh parsley, and a sprinkle of sumac if desired. Serve immediately.
💡 Tip: Toasting the nuts brings out their flavor.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a richer flavor, you can add a pinch of cumin to the chickpea mixture.
- ✓If you don't have labneh, you can use thick Greek yogurt, but strain it first for a few hours to remove excess whey.
- ✓This dish is best served immediately after assembly to prevent the pita from becoming soggy.
🔄 Variations
- Add a layer of cooked fava beans along with the chickpeas.
- Incorporate a tablespoon of pomegranate molasses into the labneh sauce for a sweet and tangy twist.
- For a meat version, add some seasoned ground lamb or beef cooked with onions.