Syrian fatteh — the Levantine dish with pita bread, chickpeas, yogurt and pine nuts

Fatteh is one of the most beloved dishes of Levantine cuisine — a rich layered mezze that combines crispy pita bread, tender chickpeas, garlic yogurt cream and fried meat garnished with golden pine nuts. It is traditionally served in deep plates and eaten warm, before the bread absorbs the sauces.

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people):

• 2 pita breads
• 400 g cooked chickpeas (or 1 can of 400 g)
• 400 g ground lamb or beef
• 300 g thick yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves
• 60 g pine nuts
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon red pepper
• fresh parsley, finely chopped
• salt and black pepper

PREPARATION STEPS:

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Cut the pita bread into triangles, drizzle with olive oil and a little salt and bake for 8–10 minutes, until crispy and golden.
2. Crush the garlic and mix it with the yogurt, lemon juice, cumin and salt. Set aside.
3. Rinse the chickpeas (if canned) and warm them in a little salted water for 5 minutes; drain.
4. In a pan with a little olive oil, fry the ground meat until golden; add salt, pepper and a little cumin.
5. In the same pan, melt the butter and fry the pine nuts until golden — careful, they burn quickly. At the end add the red pepper.
6. In a deep serving plate, lay the crispy bread triangles as a base.
7. Pour the warm chickpeas over the bread, then the garlic yogurt cream.
8. Spread the fried meat on top and pour over the pine nuts together with the hot butter.
9. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately, so the bread stays crispy.

TIME: 15 minutes preparation + 25 minutes cooking (about 40 minutes in total). SERVINGS: 4.