Middle Eastern flatbreads star in Ramadan dishes and beyond

This past week, we visited author Anissa Helou in her London kitchen as she prepared for Ramadan to begin. In her story, she details two dishes that are traditional for breaking the fast during the holiday. Tharid, an Arabian stew of lamb and vegetables is served atop torn flatbread called regag, absorbs all the flavorful broth from the meat and vegetables. And fatteh is the Lebanese iteration of tharid that she makes with toasted pita and chicken. It gets a generous blanket of yogurt and a crown of pine nuts on top. Both dishes utilize toasted flatbread as their base, and if you’re buying some to make either dish, here are more uses for any leftovers beyond the Ramadan feast foods.

Torn Middle Eastern flatbreads like pita, man’oushé, khobz and even thinner ones like lavash can all be substituted, more or less, in the same ways, depending on if you want to use them as a wrap, container or utensil while eating. Fattoush is similar to Helou’s aforementioned dishes in that it’s based on toasted, torn flatbread, but instead of being soaked in stew broth, it’s tangled with lettuce and vegetables in a hearty salad. Though pita is often called for, you can use any toasted flatbread you like. I also love to toast lavash or pita and spread them with yogurt and leftover vegetables, meat and herbs for a quick lunch. And, of course, they make great dipping implements for hummus, baba ghanouj or muhammara.

If you want to take the endeavor a step further, we have a wonderful recipe for homemade pita breads that shows just how simple they can be to make. I like to make a batch, freeze the leftovers, then revive them in a hot oven whenever I want. And if you’re gluten-free and still want to participate, I’ve found that socca — think French chickpea-batter crepe — make a great stand in for toasted flatbread when crisped up in plenty of olive oil.

Tharid (Arabian Meat and Vegetable Stew Over Crispy Bread)

Regag, a flatbread made by rolling dough against a hot surface so the film it leaves behind crisps up into thin sheets, is traditional for this simple lamb and vegetable stew, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Be sure to soak the breads just enough so they are tender but not swimming in broth.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 2 hours, 15 minutes.

(Kristin Perers / For The Times)

Lebanese Chicken Fatteh

Poached chicken or Cornish game hens and chickpeas make this simple dish filling but lighter than tharid (see above). The crisp pita chips and cooling yogurt on top offer lots of contrasting textures and temperatures against the flavorful meat.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 2 hours.

(Kristin Perers / For The Times)

Fattoush

Crisp, toasted pita or other flatbreads hold their integrity in this salad, even when dressed with an herbal vinaigrette. Make sure to add the bread just before serving so it doesn’t go soggy from sitting around too long.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 40 minutes.

(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Pita Bread

Warm and fluffy, these homemade pita breads take on the characteristics of well-blistered pizza dough. Prepare the pita dough disks up to two days before you need them so you can bake them right before you’re ready to eat.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 40 minutes.

(Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times)

Socca

Made simply with chickpea flour and water, these tender crepes are a specialty of southern France. Once cooked, store them in the refrigerator or freezer. When you need them, rip them into bite-size pieces and fry until crisp in olive oil.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 25 minutes.

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)