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Berber omelette
Omelette berbère: eggs baked over tomato, onion, cumin and paprika in a small tagine
Roadside cafés on the mountain passes of the High Atlas keep small clay tagines warming over charcoal, and the one most travellers order for breakfast or a quick lunch is the Berber omelette: eggs cracked over a bubbling base of tomato, onion, cumin and paprika, then covered until they just set. It arrives sizzling with olives and herbs on top and plenty of bread to wipe the dish clean, usually with a glass of mint tea. At home you can use a small tagine on a heat diffuser or a lidded frying pan. For anyone pregnant, very young, older or with a weak immune system, cook until the yolks are firm. Chef's tip: never put a clay tagine straight onto a high flame; use a diffuser and medium-low heat, or it can crack.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (6)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a small tagine set on a heat diffuser, or in a 20–24 cm frying pan, over a medium-low heat. Add 1 onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent.
6 minStep 2: Add 3 ripe tomatoes, 1 garlic clove, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp sweet paprika and ½ tsp salt. Cover and cook, stirring now and then, until the tomatoes have collapsed into a thick sauce.
8 minStep 3: Make four hollows in the sauce and crack 4 eggs into them. Season the eggs with a pinch of cumin and salt.
Step 4: Cover and cook over a low heat until the whites are completely set and the yolks are as you like them: 5–6 minutes for runny, 8–9 minutes for firm.
6 minStep 5: Scatter over 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, 1 tbsp coriander leaves, 6 black olives and 1 green chilli and bring the dish to the table while it is still bubbling. Serve with bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does berber omelette take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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