Warm chickpeas, toasted flatbread and a fresh yoghurt sauce with tahini make up the soft, creamy layers of this Syrian fattet hummus. Pine nuts and paprika butter are added at the very last moment, so some of the bread stays crispy.
Fattet hummus is a layered dish from the Levant: its name refers to breaking bread into pieces, which are layered in a dish with other ingredients. The combination varies from region to region and household to household. In this Syrian version, chickpeas, flatbread and a sauce of yoghurt, tahini, garlic and lemon form the base. The result falls somewhere between a warm meal and a generously topped platter, meant to be scooped up with bread or a spoon.
The contrast between soft and crispy is what makes this dish. Flatbread is broken into pieces and toasted until it has firm edges but can still soak up some sauce. Don’t let it turn dark brown: bread that’s baked too hard is less pleasant to eat once it gets wet. Warm the chickpeas separately and keep them juicy; a splash of cooking liquid or water stops them from feeling dry next to the thick yoghurt sauce.
Yoghurt adds freshness, while tahini brings a nutty flavour and makes the sauce richer. Lemon and garlic balance out the creaminess. Stir the sauce until smooth and add cold water a little at a time if it’s too thick to spoon over the chickpeas. Full-fat plain yoghurt works well; Greek yoghurt is also fine, but usually needs a little extra water. Use well-stirred tahini so the oil and sesame paste are evenly incorporated into the sauce.
Pine nuts add a mild, toasted crunch. Toast them slowly in a dry pan and keep an eye on them: small nuts brown quickly. Paprika butter adds warmth and colour, but doesn’t need to be hot; choose sweet paprika for a soft, rounded flavour. Sprinkle both over the platter just before eating. That way, the bread gets some sauce but doesn’t immediately lose all its crispy edges.
Serve the fattet as a main course in the middle of the table, with extra flatbread for scooping up the sauce. A simple salad of cucumber and tomato makes a refreshing side if you’d like something fresh alongside the rich layers. It’s best to cool leftovers quickly and store them covered in the fridge. If practical, keep the bread and sauce separate from the chickpeas; otherwise, the bread will soften. Heat the chickpeas through thoroughly, then add the cold sauce and crispy toppings.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Tear the flatbreads into bite-sized pieces. Toss them on a baking sheet with the olive oil and toast for 8–10 minutes, until dry and golden brown. Leave them on the baking sheet.
In a bowl, stir the yoghurt, tahini, grated garlic and lemon juice until smooth. Whisk in 3 tablespoons cold water. Add a little more water if needed, until the sauce is thick but pourable. Season with ½ teaspoon salt.
Put the drained chickpeas in a pan with 150 ml water and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Heat over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, until piping hot and tender. Stir occasionally; don’t let them cook dry.
Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat. Shake the pan regularly and transfer them to a plate as soon as they’re lightly golden.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the paprika.
Spread the toasted bread over a serving platter. Spoon the warm chickpeas and a little of their cooking liquid over the top, then drizzle the yoghurt sauce evenly over them. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and pour over the paprika butter just before serving.
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