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Erbokvertskhi
Erbokvertskhi (ერბოკვერცხი): Georgian eggs fried in clarified butter with sulguni
Erbokvertskhi means simply "butter-egg", and in Georgian homes from Tbilisi to the Imereti villages it is the breakfast cooked in a small clay ketsi or pan: eggs fried in plenty of erbo, the golden clarified butter, with slices of salty sulguni cheese melting around them. It is eaten with shoti bread and fresh herbs. Sulguni is often made with animal rennet; use a vegetarian mozzarella-style cheese if needed. The mistake is a timid amount of butter: the eggs should sizzle in it so the edges crisp. Serve the yolks fully set for anyone pregnant, young children, older people or anyone with a weakened immune system. Chef's tip: let the cheese melt and brown slightly before adding the eggs, so you get crisp cheese edges under soft whites.
- Total time
- 11 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 2 ⅞ oz sulguni cheesesliced, vegetarian if needed
- 4 eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander or tarragon (optional)chopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Melt 1 oz clarified butter (ghee) in a small frying pan or clay dish over a medium heat until it shimmers.
Step 2: Lay in 2 ⅞ oz sulguni cheese and cook for 1–2 minutes until it starts to melt and bubble at the edges.
2 minStep 3: Crack 4 eggs over the cheese, season with 1 pinch salt and 1 pinch black pepper, and cook for 3–4 minutes, spooning the hot butter over the whites, until the whites are set and the edges crisp. Cover for a minute if you want firm yolks.
4 minStep 4: Scatter with 1 tbsp fresh coriander or tarragon and serve straight from the pan with bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does erbokvertskhi take?
- About 11 minutes in total: 3 minutes to prepare and 8 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 clarified butter (ghee)?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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