A great Palestinian dish from the northern West Bank: taboon bread generously soaked in olive oil, topped with slow-cooked sumac onions, and garnished with roast chicken and pine nuts.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces whole chicken legs, bone-in and skin-on
- 800 g yellow onions
- 4 pieces Palestinian taboon bread
- 150 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp ground sumac
- 1 tsp Palestinian allspice blend
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 35 g pine nuts
Method
- Take the chicken out of the refrigerator before cooking. Thoroughly pat the skin dry with paper towels so it can roast properly.
- Mix the salt, pepper, Palestinian allspice blend, cinnamon, and a small portion of the sumac. Massage the chicken all over with this mixture and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Place the chicken in a baking dish, skin side up. Roast in an oven preheated to 200 °C for about 45 to 55 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden, the juices run clear, and the meat pulls away easily from the bone. Baste once or twice with the pan juices.
- While the chicken is cooking, peel the onions, halve them, then slice into even, medium-thick strips. They should retain a slight texture after cooking.
- Gently heat the bulk of the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, then cook over low to medium heat for about 30 to 40 minutes. Stir regularly: they must become very tender, translucent, and juicy, without browning heavily.
- Off the heat, stir the bulk of the sumac into the onions. Mix thoroughly to color and flavor the entire mixture. Taste and adjust the salt; the whole should be fruity, tart, and generously oiled.
- Toast the pine nuts dry in a small skillet over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Remove them as soon as they turn a golden blond color to prevent them from burning.
- When the chicken is cooked, keep it warm. Pour its cooking juices into the onions and mix. Keep the chicken skin-side up to preserve its crispness.
- Place the taboon breads on a baking sheet or in a large baking dish. Spread a generous layer of onions and their oil over each one, going all the way to the edges. The bread should soak it up without falling apart.
- Bake the topped breads for about 5 to 8 minutes, just enough to warm them, help the oil penetrate, and make the edges slightly crispy.
- Place a roasted chicken leg on each bread. Add the last of the onions, scatter with the remaining sumac and toasted pine nuts, then serve immediately on large platters.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 617.9 kcal
- Protein
- 10.33 g
- Carbohydrate
- 41.22 g
- Fat
- 47.61 g
- Fibre
- 7.93 g
- Calcium
- 54.91 mg
- Iron
- 1.29 mg
- Magnesium
- 42.04 mg
