Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen

Being a Sunday I like to take it easy and have a relaxed day, both in the kitchen and out.  Meals are not as complicated and perhaps not as nutritionally balanced as during the week but what I like the most is to have an easy dinner.  Something without too much effort or without too many dirty dishes!  My favourite easy dinner is Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen and it has been a favourite ever since I was a child.  Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen is kind of like mezze (small snack like things) and to me is dinner without work.  Enjoyed by everyone who eats it because you only eat what you like!  Basically, it is a whole variety of ingredients chopped up and placed on a platter.  It is a healthy meal with plenty of fresh vegetables, meat and/or eggs.  People sit around the platter and each person then assembles whatever they like on bread, or crackers and then eats it. Wonderful fresh food which is great in Summer when cold food appeals so much.

I remember eating like this on Sunday nights growing up.  My dad was tasked with getting dinner since my mum did all the cooking during the week.  Dad would empty out most of the fridge of cheeses, vegetables and meats and then set to work cutting and slicing them all.  This was so exciting because it was also the only time we got to eat while watching television.  Sunday night cartoons on Disney.  How I loved those times and the memories.  So much so that I really want to recreate them for my own children.

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Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen

I have actually also had this as a meal for a casual dinner party with friends.  It was such a big hit since it is easy and fun with hands moving in all directions picking up foods of different colours.  Building little towers of food that thrown into mouths whole or is crunched and crumbled and falls onto plates.  This is definitely not a knife and fork meal but who says they all have to be.

Gather together for Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen:

A selection of bread or crackers such as Salada biscuits, Savoy, water crackers or pita bread(aish balady)

A selection of cheeses such as Feta, Gouda, Parmesan and Cheddar

A selection of deli or cooked meats such as ham, turkey or chicken and salami

Tomato halved and sliced

Lebanese cucumbers sliced

A small onion or several radishes very thinly sliced

Boiled eggs sliced

Olives, pitted

Pickled cucumber, sliced

Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen

You could add anything else you liked such as sliced

Avocado,

Dips such as Hummus or Baba Ghanoush,

Steamed vegetables

Lettuce

Capsicum or peppers

As well as cooked and sliced meats such as Kofta or sausage, etc. which are great too.

Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen

Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen

Place platter on a table.  Sit around it with friends or family and build little towers with cheese, meat and vegetables as you like.  Eat and Enjoy!