Fatteh A Savory Reuse Of Pits

 What do you do with leftover bread? You could go sweet and turn it into a lush bread pudding with caramel sauce . Or you could go savory  and turn it into a tasty baked and puffy dinner. Or for the more adventurous  try a chickpea and herb fatteh. This hot and exotic dish is perfect for using up leftover pita bread.

Famed chef and bread lover Yottem Ottolenghi created this tasty recipe for yesterday's New York Times Food section. It's a popular dish throughout the Mideast but it's hard to define, according to Chef Ottolenghi. It is a layering dish using stale plain or whole wheat pita. There are vegetarian versions like his while others contain lamb. Some versions may have tahini and yogurt. One, fattet djaj, has bread, shredded chicken, whole chicken a, layer of yogurt and then topped off with a layer of pine nuts. In Gaza, a think flatbread called saj or makouk dipped in stock which is often loaded with garlic , chilies, and lemon, Freshly cooked rice and toasted nuts top it. It's then finished off with cook chicken or other meats.However ingredients just aren't limited to those. You can add eggplant or tomatoes , broad beans to different pulses like lentils and green peas.

Chef Ottolenghi's fatteh has chickpeas along with the zingy za'atar along with various greens such as chives, parsley and fresh cilantro. Flavoring also comes from garlic and toasted cumin seeds. It's a bit labor intensive with the chickpeas being soaked with baking soda in cold water overnight.Afterwards they're drained and cooked in water with more baking soda. They're then cooked for twenty minutes after which Kosher salt is added. While the chickpeas are cooking, the pita is tossed with olive oil and the za'atar and pepper.This is laid out on a parchment lined baking sheet until golden and crisp. At this point there tahini to be made which is easy and also the chili oil - another easy make. After puree 2/3 chickpeas with lemon and herbs, garlic and cumin. Sieve into a bowl. Add the remaining  chickpeas and then layer everything, from the tahini to the chili oil. It can be served with extra pita and toasted pita on the side. You could add shredded rotisserie chicken to make it heartier.

Fatteh is a great way of using up any leftover pita. It's also a tasty way of cooking chickpeas with za'atar and tahini, Try it for a different spin on bread pudding.

In A Stew

One of the nicest aspects of cold weather is hearty cooking and eating. There's  nothing more satisfying than a homemade stew, chock full of meat and veggies.Add dumplings and it's a full meal. It's the best comfort food on a chilly day, warming from head to toe.

What is the best stew? That's up to the home chef making it along with individual tastes.Chicken stew is the most classic and has a nice, light flavor. Because of this , any combo of veggies pairs well with it. You can even use fresh or frozen ones. Since this is autumn, think about adding butternut squash .It's taking chicken breasts and cooking them with four cups of squash. Diced tomatoes are also thrown in to give color and a boost of flavor.Fall spices such as sage and thyme are also included, along with garlic and onion. That leftover Halloween pumpkin can be cut up and added to a chicken stew as well.Cooked pumpkin has a lovely creamy texture  and a sweetness that  compliments the bird. For a fancier take on this humble dish, try a coq au vin inspired one. This is an easy one,laced with red wine , garlic and a variety if different herbs. The last is one found in Gallic cooking, oregano,thyme and bay leaves. Top it with herbed dumplings laced with more thyme, chives and parsley. Can turkey be made into a stew? Yes! In fact, many of those Thanksgiving birds will be repurposed into tasty stews. Turkey stew can even be made in a skillet. It's just taking the meat cooking it with whatever veggies you want. You can even use leftover potatoes and yams.along with those herbs you used for the stuffing.

Many home chefs enjoy  making a good beef or lamb stew. This is the most traditional recipe. Meat lovers enjoy a good traditional beef one, chock full of flavor and texture. Where the meat comes from is crucial to creating a good stew. Remember to get cuts from the front shoulder or rear end, A chuck shoulder or a rump roast is a good choice. This also applies to lamb too. You could also try top chuck or eye round roast too. An old-fashioned beef stew has everything from sugar (!) to Worcester sauce.Spices are crucial. Stick with the traditional one such as allspice, ground cloves, along with paprika for color. Vegetables are also traditional too. Use celery, along with carrots and celery.Pork can be turned into stew as well. Melissa Clark gave a good recipe in her column A Good Appetite column in Wednesday's New York Times Food section.She puts  the spicy garam masala along with cinnamon and cumin, spices not normally connected with the dish,Cayenne is also added for heat, again, unusual for a stew.Another ingredient, also out of the ordinary for this dish, coconut milk is used for tying the entire dish together, She also tosses in chick peas and green peas for some creamy texture. Tomatoes, that stew staple are included to give it color and some acidity.Instead of dumplings , try warm naan with it instead for sopping up the gravy.

This is stew weather. Try a homey chicken one, or a spicy pork, loaded with curries. Anyone is a rib sticking one, warming  a happy eater from head to toe.