Salads
Fattoush with broad beans
There's something magical about the texture, ease and complexity of a bread salad which can be adapted to whatever is seasonally available. Serve this springtime fattoush with grilled fish or as part of a mezze spread. The cumin in the dressing adds a bit of a kick but you can reduce the quantity if you prefer a more subtle effect.
Ingredients
main
- 2 pitta breads, torn into 2-3cm pieces
- 100g shelled broad beans
- 1 Cos or Little Gem lettuce, shredded
- 1 small cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthways, deseeded and cut into 1-2cm chunks
- 4 radishes, sliced
- 10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 50g feta cheese, crumbled
for the dressing
- 6 mint leaves, chopped
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted in a dry frying pan and then crushed
- a pinch of cayenne pepper
Method
-
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Spread the pieces of pitta bread out on a baking sheet, place in the oven and toast for about 5 minutes, until just crisp. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
-
Step 2
Blanch the broad beans in boiling salted water for 2-4 minutes, depending on size, then drain.
-
Step 3
Mix together the bread, broad beans, lettuce, cucumber, radishes and cherry tomatoes.
-
Step 4
Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Toss into the salad, then sprinkle with crumbled feta.
