Easy plant-based fatteh

This popular Egyptian and Levantine dish is given the plant-based treatment with a little help from tofu and tahini.

Don't forget the garlic sauce Source: Camellia Aebischer

Fatteh is one of those dishes that’s like turning water into wine. A once-stale pita is transformed into something so delicious – a big pile of chewy middles and crunchy ends, slathered in garlic yoghurt, nutty chickpeas, roasted almonds, and swimming in paprika butter.

From here, the additions are up to you: eggplant and lamb being two common toppings.

This dish is often served at celebratory times, in Egypt to ring in a first pregnancy and for many Muslim families to break fast at Iftar during Ramadan.

My first taste of this dish was in a Melbourne park on a cool summer evening, ordered takeaway from Moroccan Soup Bar where it’s lovingly referred to as ‘chickpea bake’. I’ve been obsessed ever since.

Having friends who are vegan or lactose-intolerant, I came up with this recipe to cater. A little extra tahini fortifies the tofu here, and once it all comes together, I couldn’t taste the difference. That’s verified from a garlic yoghurt-lover.

I used a full clove of garlic and it was pretty intense, so just go half if you're nervous. Source: Camellia Aebischer

Plant-based fatteh

Serves 4

Preheat your oven to 200°C, meanwhile, toss together:

• 6 small or 3 large pita breads, cut into finger-sized pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Pinch salt

Place on a tray in an even layer in the oven for 5-10 minutes until golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender add:

• 1 x 300 g block soft, classic, or original tofu
• ½-1 clove garlic, to taste
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/3 cup tahini
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Puree until smooth, then check consistency and add water one tbsp at a time. If your sauce is too runny, add more tahini and keep blending or mixing until it thickens.

Grab your serving platter, place a layer of toasted pita, scatter over:

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Then spoon over an even layer of the garlic sauce. Set aside.

To finish it off, make the paprika butter. In a small pan add:

• 2-3 tbsp plant-based butter or olive oil
• ¼ cup sliced almonds

Cook over medium heat until the almonds are browned and toasty, then add:

• 1 tsp paprika

Turn off the heat and pour this directly on top of the dish. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley to garnish.

Makes a great hosting snack or main meal with a few veg sides. Source: Camellia Aebischer

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