Palestinian Comfort Food for Fall: Musakhan, Maqluba and Knafeh

Talk to Palestinians about home, and the conversation always comes back to food. Palestinian cooking is all about olive oil, fresh bread, herbs and big shared meals that bring the whole family together. As the weather cools down, it's the perfect time to try some of the classics.

Here are a few favorite dishes and where to find recipes you can trust.

Musakhan

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Often called Palestine's national dish, musakhan is roasted chicken on taboon flatbread piled with onions cooked down in lots of olive oil and sumac. It's traditionally made after the olive harvest to show off the new season's oil, and it's meant to be eaten with your hands.

Maqluba

Maqluba means "upside down." Rice, spices and vegetables like eggplant and cauliflower are layered with chicken or lamb, cooked in one pot and then flipped onto a big platter at the table. Everyone watches to see if it holds its shape, and that's half the fun.

Knafeh and za'atar

For dessert, knafeh from Nablus pairs soft white cheese with crispy shredded pastry, soaked in syrup and topped with pistachios. And no Palestinian kitchen is complete without za'atar, a mix of wild thyme, sesame and sumac eaten with bread and olive oil for breakfast.

Ready to cook? Two great cookbooks to start with are Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley and The Palestinian Table by Reem Kassis. Use Palestinian olive oil for the real thing, and grab one of our tote bags for the grocery run.

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Keep exploring: Read next: Talking to Kids About Palestine: A Parent's Guide to Honest, Age-Appropriate Conversations