Egyptian Fatteh

The method

1. 01

   Take pita bread and rip into bite size pieces. In a frying pan, add about a 1/4 stick of butter, add bread pieces and fry until golden brown and crisp. Put these pieces in a glass baking dish, preferably a square sized dish. Set aside.

2. 02

   In the same pan, add a little more butter, salt, approximately 2 cloves of crushed fresh garlic, and a teaspoon or so of cumin. Stir until aromatic, then add fried bread pieces to this mixture, stir to coat bread and put back into glass baking dish. Set aside.

3. 03

   In a pot, stir fry meat in some butter until brown, add 1 quartered onion, salt & pepper, 1 cube of chicken bouillon and water to cover meat. Bring to a boil, then simmer, cover and cook until tender, approximately 2 hours.

4. 04

   After meat has cooled, take out chunks of meat and put in a bowl, set aside. Reserve soup from the meat separately.

5. 05

   In a pot, add some butter, then add a handful of noodles and stir until golden brown. Add two cups of rice, stir until some rice turns opaque white. Add 2-1/4 cups of water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until tender, about 35 minutes.

6. 06

   Take some of the soup from meat and add to the top of the bread pieces in baking dish to saturate. Add cooked rice on top of bread pieces. Spoon remainder of soup onto rice until it reaches just to the top of rice.

7. 07

   In a pan, add a little oil or butter, crushed tomato, a half teaspoon of tomato paste, salt & pepper, 2 cloves of fresh crushed garlic and cumin. Add approximately 3 tablespoons of vinegar, stir until aromatic and slightly thick.

8. 08

   Spread the sauce atop the rice to cover.

9. 09

   In a pan, add a bit of butter or oil, the meat, a touch of tomato paste, about a tablespoon of fresh crushed garlic, salt & pepper, and a teaspoon of cumin. Cook until meat is golden fried.

10. 10

    Spoon the fried meat atop the rice and serve.