Serves 8

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil plus extra for greasing the foil

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 pieces pita bread chopped or torn into bite-sized pieces

Juice of 2 lemons, plus 1 lemon cut into wedges for serving

1 teaspoon ground sumac

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper

1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped or roughly torn

8 radishes, washed, trimmed and finely chopped

3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

3 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup chopped mint

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Heat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, grease with a little olive oil and set it aside. Place the cucumber in a colander, toss with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt set it aside for 30 minutes over a plate to drain.

Toss the pita with 1/4 of the lemon juice and the sumac in a large bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. Arrange the seasoned pita in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake until crispy and dry, about 12 to 15 minutes, turning the pita chips over after 7 minutes. (You can toast the pita on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Since the air circulates beneath and above the pita so you don’t have to turn it midway through; note that the pita will probably take less time to toast).

Whisk the remaining lemon juice with the olive oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and the cracked pepper in a large bowl. Add the cucumbers, lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, mint and parsley and toss to combine. Add the pita, toss to incorporate, taste for seasoning and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Najwa Sarkis Stone, a proud Lebanese American, makes some of the most delicious and addictive Middle Eastern food. A hostess with great style and élan, an invitation to her home is like a call to a Presidential gala. When I asked Najwa if she would share this recipe with me for American Masala, she turned this easy task into a grand social affair. It was so much fun that I even forgot to jot it down the recipe and had to recreate the salad from memory. Tart, crispy, crunchy and herbal, after eating Fattoush around the country and the world, Najwa’s is the best. Don’t panic if you can’t find the sumac. Many Lebanese cooks omit and you can too.