Egyptian Fatta Recipe

Egyptian fatta is the quintessential festive meal. It’s a crowd-pleasing dish bursting with daring flavors and textures: layers of seasoned, toasted pita and aromatic rice are topped with slow-cooked beef and drizzled with a punchy garlic-vinegar sauce. The dish is related to all non secular celebrations of Egyptian Christians and Muslims, and celebratory feasts aren’t full with no lavish fatta on the heart of the desk, surrounded by a myriad of delicacies. 

In Arabic, fatta means “minimize in items,” which within the context of this recipe refers to sliced, toasted pita, the primary layer of the dish. Although they share the identical title, Egyptian fatta is not like its Levantine counterpart: the Egyptian dish doesn’t embrace a yogurt sauce and makes use of a special cooking method. 

The lengthy record of substances could also be daunting, however the recipe itself is simple to interrupt into manageable components. A lot of the recipe may be ready forward of time and saved within the fridge, then reheated and assembled proper earlier than serving.

Variations of Egyptian Fatta

Whereas bread, meat, and rice are just about the primary parts of any Egyptian fatta, there are nonetheless some delicate variations. If Egyptians are making fatta for Eid, for instance, they could resolve between lamb or beef. Additionally, the minimize of meat used is subjective. Some households favor rustic and fatty bone-in cuts of meat, whereas others treasure the leaner taste of fat-trimmed meat and the benefit of boneless items.

Usually, Egyptian fatta is made with ruz masri (Egyptian rice), however that form of rice is difficult to seek out exterior of Egypt. A very good substitute is basmati or one other long-grain rice as an alternative; it really works nicely and, I’ve discovered, enhances the remainder of the dish fantastically.

In researching the numerous variations of Egyptian fatta, I’ve discovered that Egyptian Muslim households are inclined to drizzle a tomato-based sauce—along with a garlic-vinegar one—on their fatta, whereas their Christian compatriots use simply the garlic-vinegar one to decorate it. I’ve included each sauces beneath so you possibly can strive every, then resolve should you favor one over the opposite or like having each.