Feta, Tomato and Mint Salad

Author Notes

A lot of people say their favorite meal is breakfast. I would be one of those people. And, when you're Middle Eastern, who can pick a favorite from the incredible breakfast and brunch dishes we can choose from?

Some of our most famous breakfast essentials (like falafel) can be time-consuming to make. But some, like this fresh and flavorful feta and tomato salad, are quick and easy -- and on your table in just minutes.

During the hot summer months, when you can barely drink hot coffee, much less eat a warm breakfast, this simple breakfast "salad" comes to the rescue. This is a classic staple that's common on any Egyptian breakfast table, owing to its simplicity (only 4 ingredients!), readily available components, and ease of assembly.

Something about the cool, ripe tomatoes with salty, briny feta, finely coated with dried mint leaves and drizzled with fruity olive oil makes this a dish I make every other weekend! One bite, and I am transported to our hometown in southern Egypt -- where the tomatoes would have been picked fresh from the farm at dawn and in our hands by early morning, feta cheese abundantly available from the corner grocer, and the mint was dried from fresh leaves on our balcony.

Enjoy this yummy salad with toasted pita bread, or as an accompaniment to a more lavish Egyptian breakfast spread of falafel, fava beans, eggs, and Kalamata olives.

Bel hana wel shefa (Arabic: enjoy it with happiness and good health)! —Hajar D.