Fatteh - Fatteh Recipe

Louise McCrimmon is head chef at the Harvey Nichols' Second Floor Restaurant and Bar in Bristol. Her sublime layered Lebanese platter is a fantastic way to share food.

Ingredients

1 tsp paprika
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander,
plus extra to garnish
50g butter, softened
1 whole lamb shoulder, weighing about 1.75kg
50g toasted pine nuts, to serve

For the tomato sauce

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 onion, finely sliced
6 tbsp olive oil
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick

For the yogurt dressing

250g Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, crushed

For the pitta toasts

6 white pitta breads, halved lengthways into 2 ovals and cut into triangles
25g butter, melted

For the pilau rice

25g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
250g basmati rice
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cinnamon stick
600ml good vegetable stock
50g raisins

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 140°C/fan120°C/gas 1. Mix the paprika, garlic and coriander with the butter. Place the lamb in roasting tin, then smear with the butter, before covering with foil and placing in the oven to slowly cook for 3 hours until the meat falls away from the bone.

2. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Gently fry the garlic and onion in 3 tbsp olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cinnamon stick, season and simmer for a further 15 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove the cinnamon and stir in the remaining olive oil and keep warm.

3. Mix the yogurt and garlic together and set aside until needed.

4. When the lamb is cooked, remove from the oven and rest for 15 minutes before shredding the meat off the bone. Set aside.

5. Turn the oven temperature up to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Brush the pitta triangles lightly with the melted butter and place in the oven on baking sheets for 10 minutes until golden and crispy.

6. For the pilau rice, melt the butter in a large pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes before adding the rice. Stir the rice into the butter, before adding the chickpeas, cinnamon stick, stock and raisins. Bring to a simmer, then cover for 10 minutes until all of the stock has been absorbed. Once cooked, remove from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick.

7. Arrange the toasted pitta breads on a large platter, with some of the triangles pointing out towards to the edges. Spoon the rice on top, then scatter over the lamb. Spoon over the tomato sauce and yogurt dressing, before scattering with the toasted pine nuts and the extra coriander to garnish.

Delicious magazine