Egyptian Fattah (Beef over Crisp Pita & Rice with Garlic-Vinegar Tomato Sauce)

Name: Egyptian Fattah (Beef over Crisp Pita & Rice with Garlic-Vinegar Tomato Sauce)
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Egyptian
Ingredients: 2 lb boneless chuck, in 2-inch chunks; 2 cups short-grain or jasmine rice; 6 pitas, cut in 1-inch squares; 4 tbsp butter or ghee; 6 garlic cloves (5 minced); 1 yellow onion, quartered; 1 carrot, in chunks; 2 celery stalks; 2 cups crushed tomatoes; 2 tbsp olive oil; ¼ cup white vinegar; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp allspice or 7-spice; ¼ tsp ground cardamom; ¼ tsp sugar; 2 bay leaves; salt; pepper

DinnerEgyptian150 minServes 6875 kcal41 g protein

Photo: David Berkowitz · CC BY 2.0 · source

The Eid feast dish: toasted pita squares soaked with broth, buttery rice and fall-apart beef, all drenched in a sharp, garlicky vinegar-tomato sauce. Rich, tangy and deeply comforting.

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Ingredients

2 lb boneless chuck, in 2-inch chunks
2 cups short-grain or jasmine rice
6 pitas, cut in 1-inch squares
4 tbsp butter or ghee
6 garlic cloves (5 minced)
1 yellow onion, quartered
1 carrot, in chunks
2 celery stalks
2 cups crushed tomatoes

From your pantry: 2 tbsp olive oil, ¼ cup white vinegar, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp allspice or 7-spice, ¼ tsp ground cardamom, ¼ tsp sugar, 2 bay leaves, salt, pepper.

Instructions

Brown the beef in 1 tbsp butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, 1 whole garlic clove, the bay leaves, cardamom, sugar and ½ tsp pepper, cover with boiling water and skim the foam. Simmer partly covered until tender, about 1½ hours, salting near the end. Strain and keep the broth.
Toast the rice in 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil for 2 minutes, add 2¼ cups of the broth and salt, cover and cook on low 15 minutes.
Bake the pita squares on a sheet at 350°F until crisp and golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
Melt the remaining butter with the last 1 tbsp oil, add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and just golden, 1 minute. Add the vinegar and simmer 3 minutes. Spoon out half for the topping.
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, allspice and 1 cup broth to the pan and simmer until slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
In a deep platter, layer the pita, a ladle of hot broth mixed with the reserved garlic vinegar, then the rice, then the beef. Pour the tomato sauce over the top and serve right away.

Tip: Egyptians often add a piece of mastic resin to the meat broth for its piney aroma. Assemble just before eating so the bread stays partly crisp; Alexandrian cooks skip the tomato sauce entirely.