This is a really nice, simple dinner party salad made of a combination of roasted tomatoes with fresh herbs and sumac. For those of you not familiar with it, sumac is a Middle Eastern versatile spice with a tangy lemony flavour.
While the roasted tomatoes add depth to the overall flavour of the sumac herb salad, what I love most about this dish is the crunchy pine nuts and fried bread piled on top. Their golden colour and crispy texture make them not only delicious but also visually appealing.
As a side dish, this simple salad pairs extremely well with fish.
Ingredients
Salad
- 250 grams cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- ½ flat Arabic bread
- 10 large cos leaves roughly shredded
- 100 grams mixed salad leaves
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 cup watercress
- 2 radishes (large) thinly sliced
- 2 pickled onions sliced
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- Cracked black pepper
- Salt to season
Notes from Rouba
- Roasted tomatoes can be prepared a day ahead.
- You can substitute pickled onion with red onion.
- Step 1 is optional. You can use store-bought roasted tomatoes instead.
Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt. Roast until the tomatoes are lightly dried and darkened but still a little juicy (approximately 35-40 minutes). Otherwise, you can use store bought roasted tomatoes.
Step 2.
Roll the flatbread tightly into a log shape and thinly shred.
In a small frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the pine nuts until golden in colour. Remove the pine nuts and drain them on a paper towel leaving the oil in the pan. Repeat process with the shredded flatbread. The bread can be drained together with the pine nuts. Set aside.
Step 3.
Place all remaining salad ingredients in a bowl. Place the ingredients for the dressing in a jar, season with salt and pepper and shake well. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.
Step 4.
Serve the salad on a flat platter. Arrange roasted tomatoes on top. Garnish with pine nuts and crunchy bread.
Servings: serves 4-6 people
Why you will love this salad:
Fresh- Crunchy
- Healthy
- Delicious
Are you wondering what protein to serve alongside this salad? Here are some suggestions for you: lamb backstrap, fish with tahini sauce, spicy lamb pastries
OR
keep it vegan and pair it with Burghul Wu Bandoura, eggplant and chickpea stew or baked eggplant with tahini sauce.
