A new favorite dish for our family!!!! This "hummus casserole" (Syrian cooks would never call it that, by the way) is Fattet Hummus. We ate the entire platter for dinner Monday night. Then, I took my leftover chickpeas and caramelized garlic and made it again for lunch Tuesday!
At first, I loved Fattet Hummus for it's flavors and textures. But as I remade it Tuesday, I realized how healthy this dish is. The hummus casserole is protein-rich from thick, rich yogurt. Chickpeas, which feature twice, also add protein and a huge serving of fiber.
Questions About Making
Fattet Hummus
Can I use canned chickpeas in this hummus casserole?
Yes. You would skip the steps soaking and cooking the chickpeas. You do still need to warm the chickpeas in their liquid before scattering on the top and serving.
Is this hummus casserole vegetarian?
Sure is! It's not vegan, however, as it relies heavily on a thick, tangy, creamy yogurt. I'm not sure how you would replace that - feel free to make suggestions if you are vegan and I'll happily include them!
Is the Garlic-Aleppo Pepper Paste oil essential?
It's not essential, but I highly, highly recommend it!! This is one of those things that adds to the complexity of this dish. In fact, I made the oil first and then used it to toss the pita chips before crisping them in the oven. Make extra and use it for lots of things - on sandwiches, eggs, stir fries.... anything, really.
Where can I find the Aleppo pepper paste?
Omayah recommends the Sera brand, which I bought on Amazon. Again, I've already used this for lots of things. Most recently I added the paste to a pasta salad. Today, I plan to add it to my roasted cauliflower It will add depth to sauces as well. I should start a list of all the ways I'll use it!
My pepper oil won't quite emulsify. Am I doing something wrong?
I had to ask Omayah this question too! No, we're not doing anything wrong. She suggests using a spoon to dig the paste from underneath the oil and to put that onto the hummus casserole.
What should I serve with Fattet Hummus?
It depends. If you're serving this as part of an Iftar meal, as Omayah does, she suggests several other courses like soup, fattoush salad, stew, and potatoes. If this is a more modest everyday meal, you can just serve it along with some fruit or roasted vegetables. I also think a lovely lemony tabbouleh salad would be a nice complement to the creaminess of this dish.
I have almost everything on hand, except the labneh. Do I have to include labneh in Fattet Hummus?
No, it's not necessary. (Although labneh is delicious. You can find Omayah's notes on how to make it below). If you don't include the labneh, simply increase the yogurt from 1 cup to 1 and 2/3 cups.
About Omayah Atassi, Contributor of this Fattet Hummus Recipe
Syrian-American Omayah Atassi (who now lives in Dubai) came on the podcast to teach us about not only the fasting, but also the feasting associated with Ramadan. I’m a close follower of Omayah’s work through Instagram, her blog, and her newsletter, where she sends weekly meal plans. As Omayah says, Syrian cooking is more than a recipe, it’s an approach, maybe even a lifestyle. This approach is on full display during Ramadan, when women plan ahead and batch cook huge feasts for their communities to enjoy together.
What Fattet Hummus Means to Omayah
This dish always brings me back to Ramadan at my parent's house. My mom (pre-COVID) was known for huge lavish feasts that she would host several times throughout the month. The buffet table was filled with all of our iftar (breaking fast) favorites: soup, fattoush salad, potatoes in garlic and cilantro sauce, desert truffle stew, this dish (fattet hummus), and so much more. We always end the meal with syrupy deep fried pancake pockets (atayef) filled with either clotted cream or cheese. It's always my favorite time of year.
Learn More About Fattet Hummus, Ramadan, and Syria
Omayah shares all her tips and tricks for making Hummus Casserole in this episode of The Storied Recipe Podcast:
124 The Feasts of Ramadan with Syrian-American Omayah Atassi
Follow The Storied Recipe in Your Favorite Player
How To Contact Omayah Atassi
Website: www.omayahcooks.com
Her Photography Website: www.omayahatassi.com
Instagram: @omayah.atassi
Twitter: @omayahatassi
Facebook: @omayahatassiphoto
LinkedIn: Omayah Atassi
Recipe
Fattet Hummus (Hummus Casserole with Yogurt, Crispy Pita Chips, and Caramelized Garlic and Pepper Paste)
Ingredients
- 2 large round loaves of Pita bread, cut into bite size pieces
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 head Garlic, minced
- 1/4 c Vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Aleppo/Turkish pepper paste (such as Sera)
- 500 g Dried chickpeas
- 1 c Plain, full fat yogurt
- 1/3 c Labneh (optional, see notes)
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt (half if using table salt)
- 1 tablespoon Tahini
- 1/4 c Lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
- 1/4 c Pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or vegetable oil
Instructions
Pita Chips
- Preheat the oven to 400° F/200° C. Combine the pita with the olive oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast the pita chips for 7-8 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until golden-brown and crispy.
- Pita chips can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for weeks. Feel free to double or triple and top soup and salad.
Aleppo Pepper Garlic Oil
- Add the minced head of garlic and the vegetable oil to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Once it starts to sizzle, stir constantly, until garlic is golden, being careful not to burn, about 3-4 minutes. Strain, reserving the oil. Immediately mix the pepper paste to the oil when it's still hot. The pepper paste might not fully combine with the oil, but the flavors will infuse.
- Store the garlic and oil separately in the fridge for up to several months.
Chickpeas
- Soak dried chickpeas overnight in double its volume of water. 2. Drain the chickpeas and place in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water, about twice the volume of chickpeas. Bring to a simmer partially covered. 3. After about 10 minutes, skim off the foam, add 2 teaspoon salt, and continue simmering for another 35 minutes or until tender with a slight bite. Set
- aside. If you're making it ahead, store the chickpeas and cooking liquid in the same large stockpot or in a large container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Alternatively, continue making the tableh (below) and store the remaining chickpeas in the pot in the fridge.
Chickpea-Yogurt Sauce (Tableh)
- With a slotted spoon, remove 2 cups of cooked chickpeas from the pot and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the yogurt, labneh, cumin, tahini, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and 1/4 c of the chickpea cooking liquid. Process until somewhat smooth, about 4-5 minutes. It should resemble the consistency of a pourable sauce. Adjust seasoning.
- Chickpea-Yogurt Sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Bring up to room temperature on the counter before serving.
Toasted Pine Nuts
- In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine the pine nuts and ghee or vegetable oil.
- Stir constantly until the pine nuts turn golden, being very careful not to burn.
- Remove from the heat and set aside in a bowl to stop the browning. 4. Toasted pine nuts can be store in an airtight container on the counter for a few days, in the fridge for several weeks.
To Serve
- Bring the Chickpea-Yogurt Sauce up to room temperature on the counter. 2. Reheat the chickpeas in their cooking liquid gently on the stove. 3. Just before serving, in a deep 8” or 9” round or square serving platter, scatter with pita chips.
- Top with the Chickpea-Yogurt Sauce.
- Using a slotted spoon, scatter the warmed chickpeas on top. You might not use all of them, reserve the rest for another use.
- Generously sprinkle the caramelized garlic and pine nuts. 7. Dig deep into the Aleppo/Turkish pepper garlic oil to fish out the pepper paste, collect some of the oil as well, and drizzle across the top. As much to your heart's content.
- Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Make sure to listen to Omayah Atassi on The Storied Recipe Podcast, The Feasts of Ramadan with Syrian-American Omayah Atassi while you make her Fatter Hummus recipe!
- If you'd like to try Aleppo/Turkish pepper paste, you can use Sera, which you can find on Amazon. It comes in either mild (sweet) or hot.
- Labneh can be picked up at your local Middle Eastern grocer. Or, you can make your own:
- Line a colander with about 3 layers of paper towel and set it over a medium-sized bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to a 2 kg/70 oz tub of plain, full-fat yogurt (Bulgarian yogurt works lovely).
- Dump the yogurt and salt onto the paper towel-lined colander and allow to drain for about 24 hours.
- Scrape the labneh off the paper towels and store in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week.
- Enjoy with eggs or on toast drizzled with olive oil and za’atar. Use as a dip for chips or pretzels.
Would love to hear from you!