Egyptian Fatta (فتة) — Layered Meat, Rice, and Crisp Bread

• 1.2 kgbone-in lamb shoulder, cut into large chunks
• 2.5 lwater
• 1yellow onion (peeled and halved)
• 4 clovegarlic (lightly crushed)
• 2 leafbay leaves
• 4 podgreen cardamom (lightly cracked)
• 1 tspblack peppercorns
• 2 tspkosher salt
• 400 gEgyptian short-grain rice (rinsed until the water runs mostly clear)
• 30 gghee
• 3aish baladi bread (split or torn into bite-size pieces)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 120 mlwhite vinegar
• 400 gcrushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 1 tspgranulated sugar
• 6 sprigflat-leaf parsley (leaves chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the lamb, water, onion, crushed garlic, bay leaves, cardamom, peppercorns, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a large heavy pot. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, skim the foam thoroughly, then reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for 90 to 105 minutes until the meat is very tender.

2. 2

   Lift the meat onto a tray and cover it loosely so it stays moist. Strain the broth through a fine sieve, discard the aromatics, and reserve at least 1.44 liters of hot broth for the rice, sauce, and bread soaking.

3. 3

   Heat the oven to 180°C and spread the torn aish baladi on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 45 grams ghee, bake for 12 to 15 minutes until crisp and golden at the edges, and turn the pieces once so the bread browns evenly without burning.

4. 4

   Melt 30 grams ghee in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the rinsed rice, and stir for 2 minutes until the grains look glossy. Add 720 milliliters of the reserved hot broth and 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt, bring to a boil, cover, and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes before resting off the heat for 10 minutes.

5. 5

   For the garlic vinegar sauce, melt 30 grams ghee in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the minced garlic for 60 to 90 seconds until fragrant and pale gold. Stir in the cumin, then carefully add the vinegar because it will steam sharply and briefly loosen the browned garlic from the pan.

6. 6

   Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 240 milliliters reserved broth, 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, and sugar to the garlic-vinegar base. Simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly but remains pourable and brightly tangy.

7. 7

   Heat 20 grams ghee in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and sear the cooked lamb for 3 to 4 minutes, turning it once or twice to brown the edges. This finishing step gives the meat the rich feast-table flavor associated with Egyptian fatta while keeping the interior tender from the broth.

8. 8

   Arrange the toasted bread in a deep serving platter and ladle exactly 480 milliliters of hot reserved broth over it, letting the bread absorb the liquid for 2 minutes. Spoon the cooked rice over the bread, pour half of the tomato-garlic sauce across the rice, and arrange the browned lamb on top.

9. 9

   Drizzle a few spoonfuls of the remaining sauce over the meat and scatter the chopped parsley on top. Serve immediately with the extra sauce at the table, because fatta is best when the bread is juicy underneath but still has some crisp edges.