Syrian
Fatteh Hummus
A Syrian breakfast-style fatteh of crisp fried pita, warm chickpeas, and cool garlicky yogurt-tahini sauce. It is finished with sizzling samneh, toasted pine nuts, and a little Aleppo pepper so every spoonful is creamy, crunchy, and warm.
Watch it madeAnthony Rahayel · 4:20
Ingredients
- Dried chickpeas3/4 cup
- Baking soda1/4 tsp
- Arabic pita bread2 small loaves
- Neutral oil, for frying1 cup
- Plain full-fat yogurt1 1/4 cups
- Tahini3 tbsp
- Garlic1 small clove
- Fresh lemon juice1 tbsp
- Ground cumin1/2 tsp
- Salt1 tsp, divided
- Samneh or ghee2 tbsp
- Pine nuts2 tbsp
- Aleppo pepper or mild paprika1/2 tsp
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped1 tbsp
Method
- Soak the chickpeas overnight in plenty of cold water with the baking soda.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then put them in a pot with fresh water to cover by 5 cm.
- Bring to a boil, skim the foam, then simmer until the chickpeas are very tender but still whole, about 60 to 75 minutes.
- Season the chickpeas with 1/2 tsp salt in the last 10 minutes of cooking and keep them hot in their cooking liquid.
- Split the pita loaves, tear them into bite-size pieces, and fry in hot neutral oil until golden and crisp.
- Drain the fried pita on paper towels and spread it in a warm shallow serving dish.
- Crush the garlic with 1/2 tsp salt to a paste, then whisk it with the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, and 2 to 3 tbsp hot chickpea cooking liquid until smooth and pourable.
- Spoon about 1/3 cup hot chickpea cooking liquid over the fried bread just to soften some edges while keeping some crunch.
- Drain the hot chickpeas and scatter them over the bread, reserving a few for the top if desired.
- Pour the yogurt-tahini sauce evenly over the chickpeas.
- Melt the samneh in a small pan, add the pine nuts, and cook until the nuts are golden and the samneh smells nutty.
- Immediately spoon the hot samneh and pine nuts over the yogurt sauce so it sizzles lightly.
- Finish with Aleppo pepper and chopped parsley, then serve at once while the bread is still partly crisp.
Common questions
Can I substitute canned chickpeas for dried chickpeas in Syrian fatteh hummus?
Yes. Use 2 to 2 1/2 cans cooked chickpeas, drained. Simmer them briefly in water with a little salt so they’re hot and tender, then use some of that liquid for the yogurt-tahini sauce and to moisten the bread.
How far ahead can I make the chickpeas, yogurt sauce, and pita for fatteh hummus?
Cook the chickpeas up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them in their cooking liquid. Fry the pita the same day for best crunch, but the yogurt-tahini sauce can be mixed a few hours ahead and chilled.
What are the most common mistakes when making fatteh hummus?
Overcooking the chickpeas until they split, using pita that isn’t fully crisp, and adding too much liquid are the biggest issues. The bread should soften slightly but still keep crunchy pieces, and the sauce should be pourable, not thin.
How should I store leftovers of fatteh hummus?
Store the components separately if possible: chickpeas with a little cooking liquid, sauce in a covered container, and pita in an airtight container. Assembled fatteh turns soggy fast. Reheat chickpeas, then build fresh portions just before serving.
How do I serve fatteh hummus so it tastes right?
Serve it warm, assembled just before eating: crisp pita on the bottom, chickpeas and a little cooking liquid over top, then yogurt-tahini sauce, pine nuts, ghee, Aleppo pepper, and parsley. Offer extra sauce on the side.