Fatteh (Lebanese Chickpea and Yogurt Pita)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Cut the pita into 2–3 cm squares (split thick pitas into two thin layers first), toss with the olive oil on a baking tray and spread in one layer. Bake for 9 min, shaking the tray halfway, until golden and crisp right through; they crisp a little more as they cool.

   Add in this stepPita breads (about 15 cm) 2Extra-virgin olive oil 1½ tbsp

   oven

2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, put them in a 16 cm pot with the water, cumin and half the salt, and heat over medium heat for 6 min, until steaming hot and the liquid bubbles. Keep them warm in their liquid; it moistens the bread later.

   Add in this stepCanned chickpeas, drained 240 gWater 150 mlGround cumin ½ tspSalt ¼ tsp

   medium heat

3. Grate the garlic, or crush it with the rest of the salt into a paste, then stir it into the yogurt with the tahini and lemon juice until smooth. Taste: it should be tangy and garlicky. Leave it at room temperature so it doesn't chill the dish.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves 1Salt ¼ tspPlain unsweetened yogurt 300 gTahini 2 tbspLemon juice 1 tbsp

4. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium-low heat, add the pine nuts and stir for 2 min, until evenly golden. Watch closely, as pine nuts go from golden to burnt in seconds, then take the pan off the heat.

   Add in this stepButter 15 gPine nuts 20 g

   medium-low heat

5. Assemble in a 20 cm deep dish. Set aside a small handful of pita and a spoonful of chickpeas for the top. Spread the rest of the pita in the dish, spoon over the hot chickpeas with enough liquid to moisten the bread (about 2 tbsp per serving), then cover completely with the garlic yogurt.

6. Return the butter pan to the heat for a few seconds until it sizzles, pour the butter and pine nuts over the yogurt, then scatter with the paprika, parsley, reserved chickpeas and crisp pita. Serve at once, while the bread is still crunchy in places.

   Add in this stepPaprika ½ tspFlat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 tbsp