Battatas ou Bayd

This is not the prettiest dish, but it sure is delicious. It's a quick and hot breakfast, perfect for cold fall and winter mornings. In the Arab world, it seems like recipes are either very literally named (as this one, which simply means potatoes and eggs), or they have fanciful stories attached to them (like baba ghanooj, which is named for a spoiled papa).  I've given this recipe per person, and you can adjust up for as many people as you are serving. We normally do ten times this amount.

sunflower oil (or another light oil)
1 large potato, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 teaspoon sumac
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
salt, to taste
1 large egg

Heat an appropriately sized skillet over medium-high heat until the pan feels hot for at least 30 seconds when your hand is held a few inches over it. Add a generous amount of oil (enough for the potatoes as well as the egg), then the potatoes. Increase the heat to high and allow to sit and cook until they brown a little on the bottom.

Flip the potatoes and allow to brown again. Do this another time or two, until all sides are crisp and brown. Add the spices and salt and toss to mix well.

Crack egg and add to the pan with the potatoes. Immediately reduce the heat to medium and mix up the egg with the potatoes and spices.  Serve hot with fruit, bread, and whatever you like.

Salatat Zeitoun (Green Olive Salad)

This is a salad and relish all in one. In the Middle East, pickles and relishes like this are eaten with just about every meal. Even foods like hummus and baba ghanooj are considered salads like this that can be eaten with the meal. This is a bright and tangy dish that is delicious with rich foods. Some people like to make a large batch of this to store long term. If you plan to do that, you may wish to reserve the fresh lemon peel to add at the time of serving to preserve their freshness. This is not necessary if you use preserved lemons.

2 cups diced bell pepper (cut into 1/2 inch squares)
2 cups pitted, brined green olives, finely chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 medium lemon, seeded and roughly chopped (you can also use a preserved lemon)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt + more to prep the vegetables
2 tablespoons shatta* (hot pepper paste), optional, but not really
olive oil to cover

Place peppers in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and place the colander in a bowl. Leave in the fridge overnight. (This is to reduce the water content of the peppers. This will preserve the salad much longer).

Mix the olives, pepper, lemon peel, walnuts and shatta. If you prefer a finer texture, pulse all of these in your food processor. Place the mixture in jars and add enough olive oil to cover and fully submerge the mixture. Close with lids and store in the fridge.

Shatta

1 pound red chili peppers
2 tablespoons salt
juice of 1 large lemon, strained (about 3 tablespoons)
good olive oil

Wash peppers and dry them them. Leave them in the sun for 3 to 4 days or put in a food dryer for a couple hours. You want to dehydrate them a bit.

Remove stems and grind peppers in a meat grinder, food processor, or using a mortar and pestle.

Add 1 tablespoon salt and mix well with pepper paste, then place in a fine strainer in the refrigerator. The next day add another 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt, mix well and return to the fridge to strain for 2 to 4 days. Most of the liquid should be removed to help preserve the shatta longer.

Place strained paste in an airtight jar. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Top with olive oil and seal with the lid. This stores in the fridge just about forever.

Labels: Frugality, Homemaking, Preserving the Harvest, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 11:18 AM