Fatteh

After our sensational trip to Lebanon, I returned with a sense of renewed spirits and culinary inspiration. Thus, here it is, a dish that I love eating but don't make that often. I make it into a whole meal, and not as a side dish (if excluded the stew).

Ingredients:

Stew:

400g canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained)

250g merguez sausages (balled or sliced)

1 onion (finely chopped)

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

400g canned diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Fried Eggplants:

2 medium-sized eggplants (diced)

Vegetable oil for frying

Fried Bread:

4 small Arabic breads (cut into strips)

Vegetable oil or olive oil for frying (or use Airfryer and drizzle with oil and sumac)

Yogurt Sauce:

400g plain yogurt

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves of garlic (mashed)

Salt to taste

Toppings:

50g toasted almonds, chopped

Pomegranate seeds

Pomegranate Syrup (optional)

Directions:

In a large saucepan, heat some oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent. Add the sliced merguez sausages to the pan and cook until they are browned. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, ground cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
In a separate pan, heat vegetable oil for frying. Fry the diced eggplants until they are golden brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Alternatively, you can use an Airfryer. If using the Airfryer, drizzle the the eggplant with oil, salt and pepper before air frying until crispy.
Fry the Arabic bread strips until they are crispy and golden. Alternatively, you can use an Airfryer. If using the Airfryer, drizzle the bread strips with oil and sprinkle with sumac before air frying until crispy.
In a mixing bowl, combine the plain yogurt, lemon juice, mashed garlic, and salt. Mix well to create the yogurt sauce.
To assemble the Fatteh, start by placing a layer of the stew made with chickpeas and merguez at the bottom of a serving dish. Top the stew with a layer of fried eggplants. Arrange a layer of fried bread strips on top of the eggplants. Spoon some of the yogurt sauce over the bread, creating another layer.
Repeat the layers until you've used all the ingredients, finishing with a final layer of yogurt sauce on top. Sprinkle the toasted almonds and pomegranate seeds over the yogurt layer. If the desired, drizzle the pomegranate syrup.
Serve the Fatteh immediately, allowing the flavors to meld together.