Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
Shiitake Mushroom Fatteh with Walnut, Dill and Pomegranate Molasses
"Fatteh, derived from an old Arabic verb meaning 'to break bread and steep in liquid,' is a common dish across the Middle East. The base is bread, but the toppings vary from eggplants (aubergines) and chickpeas, to rice and a variety of meats. The sauces are just as varied with some yogurt-based, others tahini-based, and others broth- or lemon-based. Moona, a restaurant in Boston serving up creative Middle Eastern dishes based on pantry ingredients (moona means 'pantry' in Arabic), has a version made with mushrooms. The first time I tried the dish, I was skeptical. 'Mushrooms?!' I thought. But I was blown away by the flavors and textures. Mushrooms have an earthy, meaty taste that is superbly complemented by the sweet tartness of pomegranate molasses, the crunchiness of the toasted bread and nuts, and the brightness of the yogurt-tahini dressing. Just another example of how pushing boundaries can lead to delicious surprises." — Friend of Milk Street Reem Kassis
Reprinted with permission from "The Arabesque Table: Contemporary Recipes from the Arab World," by Reem Kassis (Phaidon, April 2021)
Tip
"Ideally, this is made with pure pomegranate molasses that does not have any added sugar. But if you are making this with a brand that happens to have sugar, leave out the honey." — Reem Kassis
Ingredients
-
2-4
large or small thin pita breads in ¾-inch/2 cm squares (6 ounces/165 grams or 2 ½ generous cups)
For the Yogurt Sauce
Directions
-
01Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gas Mark 4). Arrange the pita bread pieces on a baking sheet. Bake, moving the bread around from time to time, until the squares are completely dry and crisp and starting to darken in color, 20–30 minutes. Remove and set aside. (This step can be done a couple of days in advance and the bread stored in an airtight container or a zipseal plastic food bag.)
