Chicken fatteh

SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 40 MINS // COOK 40 MINS

“The term fatteh comes from the Arabic word ‘fatta’, meaning to crumble bread, and it’s a dish loved all over the Arab world,” says Malouf, “My version pairs spiced chicken with yoghurt, nuts and coriander-garlic sauce, and of course, plenty of toasted bread.”

1 cup (loosely packed) coriander

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 150 ml olive oil

1 kg boneless chicken thighs, skin on

30 gm butter

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander seeds 1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp Turkish chilli flakes

(see note)

½ tsp ground turmeric

Pinch of saffron, lightly toasted and crushed

400 gm canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 12 golden shallots, peeled 12 cherry tomatoes, blistered under a grill (2-3 minutes), peeled

6 small thyme sprigs

1 tsp dried Greek oregano

(see note)

600 ml hot chicken stock

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 4 sheets mountain bread

(see note)

40 gm slivered almonds 40 gm pine nuts

200 gm Greek-style yoghurt

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Blend coriander, 2 garlic cloves, 60ml olive oil and a pinch of salt in a blender until smooth.

2 Heat a large ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and white pepper. Heat 1½ tbsp oil in pan, then add butter, spices and remaining garlic. Cook until fragrant (1 minute), add chicken, turn to coat, then remove from pan. Add chickpeas, shallots, tomatoes, thyme, oregano and stock to pan and season to taste. Place chicken on top, add lemon juice and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake on middle shelf until chicken is cooked through (20-30 minutes; juices will run clear when pierced with a skewer).

3 Tear bread into pieces, reserving 1 piece, and roast torn bread in 2 large oven trays in a single layer until golden brown and crisp (4-6 minutes).

4 Heat remaining olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add almonds and stir constantly, until lightly coloured (3-4 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and cool on paper towels. Repeat with pine nuts.

5 Reduce oven to 180°C. Layer half the chicken and cooking liquid in a large (about 2 litres) ovenproof serving bowl with half each of the chickpea mixture, yoghurt and toasted mountain bread. Repeat layering, top with 2 generous spoonfuls of coriander purée, sprinkle with fried nuts, cover bowl with reserved sheet of mountain bread and bake until golden (5 minutes). Remove top sheet of bread, spoon over remaining coriander purée and serve.

Note Turkish chilli flakes are available from Middle Eastern grocers. Dried Greek oregano (rigani) is available from Greek delicatessens. Mountain bread is available from supermarkets. Wine suggestion Pale but gutsy Bandol rosé.