Orange Blossom Water

Fatteh or fattah is an Arabic dish that uses pieces of toasted or fresh flatbread as a foundation upon which various ingredients are added on top.

Fatteh can be made with chickpeas (Arabic: Fattet Hummus), or with chicken (Arabic : Fattet Dajaj), or with eggplants (Arabic: Fattet Makdous).

Fattet Hummus has different types:

Fattet Hummus Bel-Laban: it is made by layering crispy flatbread, topped with yogurt sauce, then topped with chickpeas.

Fattet Hummus Bet-Tahineh: is made by layering crispy flatbread, topped with Hummus Bet-Tehieh (Chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt). This is a specialty of Hama, so it is also called “Fattet Hummus Hamwiyeh”.

Fattet Hummus Bez-Zeit: dried chickpeas are cooked in water until tender but not mushy. Then in a blender the sauce is prepared (put in blender chickpeas cooking water (the water which was used to cook the chickpeas), garlic, baking soda, salt and blend, then slowly add olive oil until the mixture turns into white in color, this mixture is called “Faqseh”). Then the fatteh is prepared by layering crispy flatbread, topped with chickpeas, then topped with Faqseh. Garnished with cumin. This fatteh in Damascus is called ” Tesqieh Bel-Faqseh”.

Fattet Hummus Helweh: is made by saute onion in ghee until transparent, then cooking the onions in chickpeas cooking water. Then the fatteh is prepared by layering crispy flatbread, topped with the onion with the cooking water, then topped with chickpeas, and heated ghee is added at top. This is a specialty of Hama.

Today’s recipe is Fattet Hummus Bet-Tehineh.

Let’s make Hummus Bet-Tehineh:

Crispy bread (should be prepared in advance)

1. Prepare a baking sheet.

2. Put a loaf of Arabic flat bread on it. Keep it uncovered at room temperature until crispy, it took 24 hours.

5 to 11. After 24 hours, torn the loaf into pieces.

12. Put in a bowl and set aside.

Follow these steps for equal shape of  bread pieces:

13. Prepare a baking tray.

14 to 21. Use scissors and cut Arabic flat bread into squares then lay the squares on the tray. Keep it uncovered at room temperature until crispy, it took 24 hours.

22, 23. After 24 hours, put in a bowl and set aside.

Follow these steps for toasted bread:

13. Prepare a baking tray.

24.Use scissors and cut Arabic flat bread into squares then lay the squares on the tray.

25. Bake at 300°F (150 °C) until lightly browned and crispy.

25, 26. Put in a bowl and set aside.

27. The bread used in Fatteh should be crispy, use any method from the explained above.

28. When not in use, store bread pieces in a bag in the refrigerator. Can be used for any recipe.

Cooking Chickpeas

29, 30, 31, 32. Measure 300 g (1 1/2 cups) dried chickpeas and put in a deep pot.

33, 34, 35, 36. Rinse chickpeas in several changes with water.

37, 38, 39. Pour 2000 ml (8 cups) water to cover chickpeas.

40. Add 1/2 teaspoon Qelo to chickpeas or 1 teaspoon baking soda.

Qelo قلو: is a white powder. In Syria, it is added to to tenderize chickpeas during cooking. You can substitute with baking soda (each one teaspoon of Qelo equal to two teaspoons of baking soda), but Qelo is much way better and will not leave a bitter taste.

41, 42, 43, 44. Cover the pot, and let chickpeas to soak for 12 hours at room temperature.

45. After 12 hours, chickpeas will expand to over double their size.

46, 47, 48. Drain water from chickpeas.

49, 50, 51. Pour 2000 ml (8 cups) water to cover chickpeas.

52. Turn on heat and keep on high heat until boiling.

53 to 60. During boiling, a foam will occur on surface of the water. Skim any foam that rises to the surface.

61. Once boiling vigorously, reduce heat and keep on low heat and start to count time.

62, 63, 64. Cover the pot partially.

65, 66, 67. After 10 minutes of reducing heat, add 1/2 teaspoon Qelo or 1 teaspoon baking soda.

68. Keep the pot on low heat and partially covered.

69, 70, 71, 72. After 60 minutes of adding qelo or before chickpeas are fully cooked, take some chickpeas to a bowl.

73. The reserved chickpeas will be used for garnish, set aside. I kept 85 g chickpeas.

74, 75, 76. Keep chickpeas on low heat until cooked and tender but not mushy, the total time for cooking chickpeas (step 53 – step 76) is 100 minutes. The time varies according to the type of the chickpeas.

77, 78, 79, 80. Weight of chickpeas after cooking is 790 g.  Put the chickpeas in a bowl and allow to slightly cool before processing.

81. Put the chickpea aside.

Flavoring Cooking Water

82. Keep the cooking water in the pot.

83. Add 300 ml water to the cooking water.

84. Return cooking water to heat and keep on high heat until boiling.

85. Add 1 teaspoon crushed garlic to cooking water.

86. Add 1 teaspoon salt to cooking water.

87, 88. Stir and keep on low heat to simmer.

Hummus Bet-Tehineh

89, 90, 91, 92. Transfer cooked chickpeas to food processor.

93, 94, 95, 96. Add 75 g (1/2 cup) tahini to chickpeas.

97, 98, 99, 100. Add 180 g (1/2 cup) lemon juice to chickpeas.

101. Add 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic to chickpeas. Garlic is optional.

102. Add 1 1/8 teaspoons salt to chickpeas.

103, 104. Process the chickpeas continuously until it becomes very smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to integrate any large chunks.

105, 106, 107, 108. Add 110 g (1/2 cup) hot cooking water to Hummus.

109, 110, 111, 112. Process the chickpeas. The consistency of the processed chickpeas is slightly thin.

Garnish

113. Prepare finely chopped parsley and set aside.

114. Prepare ground Aleppo pepper and set aside.

115, 116. In a pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon ghee.

117, 118, 119, 120. Add 20 g pine nuts to ghee and fry until golden brown in color, and set aside.

Assembly

121. Bring a deep serving bowl.

122, 123, 124. Put crispy bread in the bowl. I used 85 g crispy bread for one bowl.

125. Splash bread with cooking water, I used about 1/4 cup cooking water.

129, 130, 131, 132. Top with blended chickpeas. I used 1/2 cup blended chickpeas for one bowl.

133, 134, 135, 136. Top with whole chickpeas.

137, 138. Put 3 tablespoons ghee in a pan and heat the ghee until smoking hot.

139, 140. Pour ghee over fatteh.

141, 142, 143, 144. Garnish with finely chopped parsley.

145, 146, 147, 148. Sprinkle with ground Aleppo pepper.

149, 150, 151, 152. Garnish with pine nuts.

153, 154, 155, 156. Serve cooking water in a bowl and serve it next to Fatteh.

157. Serve Fatteh Hummus Bet-Tehineh immediately. Serve with, tomato, red radish, fresh mint leaves, cucumber pickles, turnip pickles, green onions, and onions.

Fattet Hummus Bet-Tehineh

From: Family Recipe / Servings: 5 People
PDF Text Only / Print With Images

Crispy bread (should be prepared in advance) 1 loaf (100 g) Arabic flat bread Cooking Chickpeas 300 g (1 1/2 cups) dried chickpeas 2000 ml (8 cups) water, to soak chickpeas 1/2 tsp qelo or 1 tsp baking soda 2000 ml (8 cups) water, to cook chickpeas 1/2 tsp qelo or 1 tsp baking soda Flavoring Cooking Water Cooking water 300 ml water 1 tsp crushed garlic 1 tsp salt Hummus Bet-Tehineh 790 g cooked chickpeas 75 g (1/2 cup) tahini 180 g (1/2 cup) lemon juice, adjust to taste 1/2 tsp crushed garlic, optional 1 1/8 tsp salt 110 g (1/2 cup) cooking water Garnish finely chopped parsley leaves Ground Aleppo pepper 1/2 tbsp ghee, for pine nuts 20 g pine nuts 3 tbsp ghee, preferably samneh Arab (Syrian ghee made from sheep’s milk) To Serve Tomato Red radish Fresh mint leaves Cucumber Pickles Turnip Pickles Onion

Crispy bread (should be prepared in advance) Prepare a baking sheet. Put a loaf of Arabic flat bread on it. Keep it uncovered at room temperature until crispy, it took 24 hours. After 24 hours, torn the loaf into pieces. Put in a bowl and set aside. Follow these steps for equal shape of bread pieces: Prepare a baking tray. Use scissors and cut Arabic flat bread into squares then lay the squares on the tray. Keep it uncovered at room temperature until crispy, it took 24 hours. After 24 hours, put in a bowl and set aside Follow these steps for toasted bread: Prepare a baking tray. Use scissors and cut Arabic flat bread into squares then lay the squares on the tray. Bake at 300°F (150 °C) until lightly browned and crispy. Put in a bowl and set aside. The bread used in Fatteh should be crispy, use any method from the explained above. When not in use, store bread pieces in a bag in the refrigerator. Can be used for any recipe. Cooking Chickpeas Measure 300 g (1 1/2 cups) dried chickpeas and put in a deep pot. Rinse chickpeas in several changes with water. Pour 2000 ml (8 cups) water to cover chickpeas. Add 1/2 teaspoon Qelo to chickpeas or 1 teaspoon baking soda. Qelo قلو: is a white powder. In Syria, it is added to to tenderize chickpeas during cooking. You can substitute with baking soda (each one teaspoon of Qelo equal to two teaspoons of baking soda), but Qelo is much way better and will not leave a bitter taste. Cover the pot, and let chickpeas to soak for 12 hours at room temperature. After 12 hours, chickpeas will expand to over double their size. Drain water from chickpeas. Pour 2000 ml (8 cups) water to cover chickpeas. Turn on heat and keep on high heat until boiling. During boiling, a foam will occur on surface of the water. Skim any foam that rises to the surface. Once boiling vigorously, reduce heat and keep on low heat and start to count time. Cover the pot partially. After 10 minutes of reducing heat, add 1/2 teaspoon Qelo or 1 teaspoon baking soda. Keep the pot on low heat and partially covered. After 60 minutes of adding qelo or before chickpeas are fully cooked, take some chickpeas to a bowl. The reserved chickpeas will be used for garnish, set aside. I kept 85 g chickpeas. Keep chickpeas on low heat until cooked and tender but not mushy, the total time for cooking chickpeas (step 53 – step 76) is 100 minutes. The time varies according to the type of the chickpeas. Weight of chickpeas after cooking is 790 g. Put the chickpeas in a bowl and allow to slightly cool before processing. Put the chickpea aside. Flavoring Cooking Water Keep the cooking water in the pot. Add 300 ml water to the cooking water. Return cooking water to heat and keep on high heat until boiling. Add 1 teaspoon crushed garlic to cooking water. Add 1 teaspoon salt to cooking water. Stir and keep on low heat to simmer. Hummus Bet-Tehineh Transfer cooked chickpeas to food processor. Add 75 g (1/2 cup) tahini to chickpeas. Add 180 g (1/2 cup) lemon juice to chickpeas. Add 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic to chickpeas. Garlic is optional. Add 1 1/8 teaspoons salt to chickpeas. Process the chickpeas continuously until it becomes very smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to integrate any large chunks. Add 110 g (1/2 cup) hot cooking water to Hummus. Process the chickpeas. The consistency of the processed chickpeas is slightly thin. Garnish Prepare finely chopped parsley and set aside. Prepare ground Aleppo pepper and set aside. In a pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon ghee. Add 20 g pine nuts to ghee and fry until golden brown in color, and set aside. Assembly Bring a deep serving bowl. Put crispy bread in the bowl. I used 85 g crispy bread for one bowl. Splash bread with cooking water, I used 1/4 cup cooking water for one bowl. Top with blended chickpeas. I used 1/2 cup blended chickpeas for one bowl. Top with whole chickpeas. Put 3 tablespoons ghee in a pan and heat the ghee until smoking hot. Pour ghee over fatteh. Garnish with finely chopped parsley. Sprinkle with ground Aleppo pepper. Garnish with pine nuts. Serve cooking water in a bowl and serve it next to Fatteh. Serve Fatteh Hummus Bet-Tehineh immediately. Serve with, tomato, red radish, fresh mint leaves, cucumber pickles, turnip pickles, green onions, and onions.

Notes and Tips

Prepare the bread ahead.

300 g chickpeas is approximately 1 1/2 cups.

Qelo قلو: is a white powder. In Syria, it is added to to tenderize chickpeas during cooking. You can substitute with baking soda (each one teaspoon of Qelo equal to two teaspoons of baking soda), but Qelo is much way better and will not leave a bitter taste.

Here is a photo of ground Aleppo pepper, and click here to know more about it.

The amount of the blended chickpeas in recipe is enough for two 7 inch (18 cm) bowl. The capacity of the bowl is 1000 ml.

 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 31st, 2019 at 5:24 PM and is filed under Syrian Cooking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.