Syrian Chickpea Fatteh

Put the cooked chickpeas in a small saucepan, pour in 60 ml of water or chickpea broth and heat gently over low heat for 5–7 minutes until warmed through and tender.

Mash the garlic with salt into a paste, add the lemon juice and stir together. Set aside half of this mixture for the chickpeas.

Into the other half of the garlic mixture, whisk in the tahini, then add the plain yogurt and beat until you have a smooth sauce.

Cut the pita into small pieces and toast them in a dry skillet or in the oven at 200°C for 5–7 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Add the reserved garlic-lemon mixture to the warm chickpeas, stir and lightly mash about a third of the chickpeas. Spread half of the toasted pita over the bottom of a wide bowl, top with the chickpeas, then spoon over the garlic-yogurt sauce.

Melt the butter together with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and fry for 2–3 minutes until golden, stirring often. Stir in the cumin and paprika, mix well and remove from the heat immediately.

Drizzle the fatteh with the hot butter and pine nuts, scatter the remaining crispy pita on top and sprinkle with dried mint. Serve immediately, before the pita softens.