Far and away my favourite Moroccan salad, fattoush is both tasty and filling.

Popular throughout the Middle East, this bread salad is similar to an Italian panzanella. Not only is it a great way to use up old bread, it is also a great addition to any Moroccan meal. It even makes an interesting alternative to your typical “braai” salad and is a great option for any vegetarian guest you may have.

In this recipe I’ve used tinned artichoke hearts, but you can substitute these with any number of alternatives if you want – I would recommend using either some grilled green bell peppers or perhaps some grilled baby marrows (courgettes). Traditionally the recipe calls for oily black olives, but these aren’t always readily available so I would just use the tastiest black olives you can find instead.

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Fattoush (Moroccan Bread Salad): Serve 4

• 200g ciabatta bread, preferably a day old
• 400g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 artichoke hearts (tinned), quartered
• 4 tbsp. fresh coriander leaves
• 2 tbsp. fresh flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped
• 100g black olives
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Dressing:

• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 100g ripe tomato, skinned and puréed in a food processor
• 1 tsp. tomato purée/paste
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220 deg. Celsius
2. Remove the crust from the bread and break up into bite sized pieces, place on a baking tray. Put the bread into the oven for 10 minutes until lightly toasted
3. Place all the dressing ingredients (except the olive oil) into a mixing bowl and whisk together
4. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and check for seasoning. Add a pinch of sugar if the dressing is too astringent
5. Transfer the toasted bread into a large bowl and pour over half the dressing
6. Combine the bread with the dressing
7. Set to one side for a couple of minutes to allow the bread to absorb the dressing
8. Using your hands squash the halved cherry tomatoes, removing most of the seeds
9. Add all the remaining ingredients, including the last of the dressing
10. Give everything a good toss and check for seasoning