This colorful, meal-of-a-salad — a family favorite — comes thanks to NYT Cooking contributor Lidey Heuck, who was inspired by two salads — the classic Greek salad and fattoush, the Lebanese salad of vegetables and pieces of fried pita. Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients — each one is essential to the harmony of the salad: bell pepper and cucumbers for crunch; shallot, olives and capers for a bit of tang; chopped tomatoes for sweetness.
If you’re looking for a shortcut, instead substitute the pan-fried halloumi for a 6-ounce block of feta. And, to save even more time, use a large handful of store-bought crumbled pita chips instead of making your own.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
ingredients
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 small clove)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
- 3 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces (or 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes)
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces
- ½ large English cucumber, halved, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup minced red onion or shallot
- 2 tablespoons (drained) capers, coarsely chopped
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 (6-inch) pita (substitute: store-bought pita chips, crumbled)
- 1 (8-ounce) block halloumi cheese, patted dry and cut into ¾-inch-thick slices (substitute: 6-ounce piece of feta)
directions
- In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup olive oil with the vinegar, garlic and oregano. Whisk vigorously to combine then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumber, olives, parsley, red onion, capers and scallions. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.
- Chop the pita into 1-inch pieces and place them in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium. Add the pita pieces and cook, tossing often, until toasted and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Return to the small bowl to cool, reserving the skillet.
- Place the halloumi slices on a small plate and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the halloumi until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut the slices into bite-size cubes. If substituting, crumble feta.
- Add the pita and halloumi (or their substitutes) to the salad, toss well and serve.