Bekaa Torn Bread in Lamb Broth

Stale flatbread torn by hand and soaked in rich lamb broth until swollen and silky — the Bekaa's peasant masterpiece. What began as a way to use leftover bread became a dish that Bekaa families deliberately seek out, making fresh bread old just to have an excuse to make mufattak.

Ingredients

• 4 rounds day-old Lebanese flatbread (khobz)
• 1.5 liters lamb broth (preferably from a previous lamb preparation)
• 300 g cooked lamb meat, shredded
• 1 large, thinly sliced yellow onion
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 1 tsp dried mint

Method

1. Fry the sliced onion in ghee over medium-high heat until deeply golden-brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
2. Bring the lamb broth to a strong simmer. Season well with salt, cinnamon, and allspice.
3. Tear the bread by hand into rough pieces, about 5–6 cm. The tearing must be done by hand — the irregular edges are the point.
4. Layer the torn bread in a large shallow serving dish.
5. Pour the hot broth slowly and evenly over the bread. Let it absorb for 3–4 minutes — the bread should be completely soaked but not dissolved; it should still hold its shape loosely.
6. Top with the shredded lamb meat, then the caramelized onions, then the toasted pine nuts.
7. Finish with a sprinkle of dried mint and serve immediately — this dish waits for no one.

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