Showing posts with label egg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label egg. Show all posts

Thursday, 19 September 2013

Breakfast omelette the Mediterranean way (Eggah عجة)

Well, the past 2 months have been quite an experience and I am only now getting back to the things I was doing while I was pregnant.  Since it has been quite some time since I blogged or uploaded a video to YouTube I needed to reassess where I had left things. I had forgotten about this little treasure. It seems that one of the things I had planned was to write about a popular morning food - a breakfast omelette the Mediterranean way (Eggah عجة).  I had previously made a video which you can find on YouTube :



Breakfast omelette the Mediterranean way (Eggah عجة)

Typically eaten at breakfast this dish is akin to an omelette.  The parsley is the dominant fresh flavour and balances the egg and fried onion.  The beauty with this dish is the ease with which you can accommodate people.  The ingredients are simple and few so there is no difficulty in adjusting the quantities to suit the number of people eating.  This would be a great dish to keep in mind for a very quick and easy midweek dinner and could also be served sliced as part of a mezze platter which is great as it caters for vegetarians.

This breakfast omelette is a really healthy breakfast option.  It is high in protein from the eggs and in vitamin A from the parsley and you could easily replace the butter with cooking spray or use a non stick pan and omit it all together for a low fat option.  

Eggah takes me back to my childhood and breakfasts on a weekend morning when we were all home together.  Dad worked Saturdays so usually that was Sunday morning.  He would get up before everyone else and get together the most lavish breakfast compared to the working week breakfast options of toast or cereal.  On his breakfast banquet morning he would have Ful medames, Falafel, boiled eggs, fresh bread from the local bakery, along with an array of smaller plates containing, tomatoes, rocket leaves, feta cheese, sliced onions, olives and whatever else he could rustle up.  Sometimes he would stand in the kitchen and we could have eggs however we liked them.  Boiled, fried or like this a breakfast omelette was one of my mum's favourite egg dishes.

I had forgotten about it for years until one evening I was on the phone to my dad and he asked what was for dinner.  Too tired to think I said I had no idea and couldn't be bothered with much since there wasn't anything too exciting in the fridge but I still needed to get dinner on the table. He said "have you got eggs?", to which I said "yes there are eggs and not much else".  He said "have you got parsley?", to which I said there is some growing in a pot. He declared "Well, then you have eggah"!!

Breakfast omelette the Mediterranean way (Eggah عجة)
Breakfast omelette the Mediterranean way (Eggah عجة)


I made it that night for the boys and I was very pleased when they said they loved it.  I must remember to make this more often for them, or at least ring my dad on nights when I can't find anything much to cook so that he can remind me!!

I hope you like it too.

Serves: 3

5 eggs.
large bunch flat leaf parsley, washed and finely chopped.
1 onion, chopped.
Salt and pepper, to taste.
2 tablespoons butter.
1 tablespoon flour.

Melt half the butter in a fry pan over low heat, add onion and fry for 5 minutes until caramelized.
Add parsley and flour, and stir for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat.
In a bowl beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper.  Add the onion and parsley mixture and stir well to combine.
Heat a little butter in a fry pan and pour in a third of the egg mixture.  Cook until the bottom is golden before flipping over to cook the other side. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture.

This is great served hot with feta cheese and fresh Lebanese bread.

Breakfast omelette the Mediterranean way (Eggah عجة)
Breakfast omelette the Mediterranean way (Eggah عجة)



Tuesday, 17 July 2012

Basterma and egg, Basturma wi baid, Egyptian bacon and eggs

Basterma and egg, Basturma wi baid, Egyptian bacon and eggs

I forgot I used to eat  Basterma and egg (Basturma wi baid) growing up but it is such an easy meal, anyone could do it.  I consider it to be the Egyptian version of the Australian Saturday morning breakfast of bacon and eggs - but who says eggs are just a breakfast food!

On Friday I took the boys and drove out to my dad’s place for a visit.  We were talking about various things as per usual but for some reason dad mentioned Basturma.  I can’t even remember how that came about now but I do remember that I had been thinking about that very thing only the day before because I realised  Basturma was something I haven’t had for probably 12 years. 

That naturally led on to dad suggesting I leave the boys with him and go and get some. So I left and went shopping.  The Keilor Downs Plaza was where I headed and I must say I did enjoy the time looking at things for more than a split second and not having to keep one or both boys from touching anything and everything.

I made my way to the delicatessen via the nut shop where I bought some super scrumptious fresh pita bread and ferique which I knew I had run out of (If you have read the pigeon blog then you would be familiar with the use of ferique there) and looked for Basturma.  I couldn’t find it but when I asked if they had it they dug it out from underneath some other cured meat.  I asked for 150g and for them to slice it thinly.  I never usually mind if there is a little more than I ask for as I figure it will get used anyway but when I glanced at the scales I take a second look because the scales said 230g.  Well…I stop to think for a minute and maybe there was no need to follow this up but I couldn’t help myself.  Um.. sorry but that is too much, I asked for 150g and would even take up to 200g but this is quite a lot.  The lady tells me it is just 30 g over the 200.  No, not really.  I wanted 150 g, not 230g.  A little too-ing and fro-ing later and they take off exactly 30 g and ask "So you will take it now?". I do but not before making a mental note to keep better track, in future, of how much is being sliced. 

So now I have plenty of Basturma, a cured beef spiced with fenugreek.  It is super salty too and at home we had this with eggs fried together and served with Lebanese bread (pita or flat bread) and sliced tomato and onions.  So quick and incredibly simple which makes it great for a quick and easy mid week dinner. For each person just fry a slice or 2 of Basturma broken into pieces, when crispy add a couple of eggs and cook to your liking.  Add some freshly ground black pepper and serve with fresh Lebanese bread and salad.

Basterma and egg, Basturma wi baid, Egyptian bacon and eggs
Basterma and egg, Egyptian bacon and eggs

Basterma and egg, Basturma wi baid, Egyptian bacon and eggs
Basterma and egg, Basturma wi baid, Egyptian bacon and eggs

Basterma
Basterma


I suggest asking for 100g and see what you think of it.  I would think that would make enough for about 6 people if cooked with eggs.  I made a video of cooking “Basturma wi baid” (Basturma with egg) while the boys were having a sleep.  Maybe it was the smell of frying meat and eggs wafting from the kitchen that woke them but as you will see Alexander makes an appearance and is quite happy to be a taste tester.

You can watch the video of Basterma and egg at:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Tc9otHNSI&feature=plcp