Zesty Eggplant Salad

My wife's specialty. Similar to fattoush, but with a different assortment of vegetables, including (of course) eggplant which gives this salad an extra zing! This dish was a hit at a holiday potluck. The salad is ready to serve, but letting the entire salad soak overnight is recommended.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 448 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ cup olive oil
• salt to taste
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
• 2 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large large eggplant, peeled and sliced into long strips
• 2 large pita bread rounds, cut into 1-inch squares
• 2 tomatoes, cut into thin strips
• 1 large green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• ¼ cup sumac powder

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.

Step 2

Place onion in a bowl and add vinegar and 1 tablespoon salt. Let onion soak for 1 hour.

Step 3

Arrange eggplant on a baking sheet and brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil until evenly coated.

Step 4

Broil eggplant until flesh is pink, about 5 minutes. Flip eggplant and broil until other side is pink, about 5 minutes more. Cool eggplant. Reduce oven's temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Step 5

Spread pita bread on a baking sheet.

Step 6

Cook pita bread in preheated oven until toasted and crispy, about 10 minutes.

Step 7

Combine tomatoes and green bell pepper in a large bowl; add eggplant and onion with vinegar and salt. Mix olive oil and sumac into tomato mixture; season with salt. Toss pita bread pieces into salad just before serving.