Fattoush is the rustic salad of Lebanon and Syria. Di, an allotment neighbour, gave me some purslane, both plants, to put into my new herb bed, and tops, for the most perfect salad. By chance I had all the ingredients to hand to make a quick and refreshing lunch. Of course, there is a wide choice of which vegetables to add but this recipe, based on Claudia Roden’s, is a good template.

Purslane looks a little like lamb’s lettuce but with fleshier leaves. It has a long history, both for its medicinal and culinary uses.

1½ pitta breads or 2 slices of rustic sough dough bread
3 medium tomatoes, deseeded and cut into 1¼ pieces
3 small cucumbers, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into small slices
5 radishes, finely sliced (optional)
1½ red onions or 9 spring onions, chopped
A bunch of rocket leaves, coarsely shredded
A bunch of purslane leaves or lamb’s lettuce, coarsely shredded
5 cos lettuce leaves cut into ribbons
A small bunch flat parsley, chopped
A few sprigs of mint, chopped
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp sumac
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut open the pitta breads and toast them under the grill until they are golden, turning them over once or fry two pieces of bread in olive oil until brown. Tear the breads into small pieces.

Put all the vegetables into a large bowl. To make the dressing, mix the olive oil with the lemon juice, garlic, sumac, salt and pepper.

To serve, add the bread to the vegetables and toss well with the dressing.