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Kafteji
Fried vegetables with egg
Tunis street-food plate of fried vegetables chopped with egg and harissa
Kafteji is a Tunis sandwich-shop classic: fried peppers, tomato, squash and potato chopped together on a board with a cleaver, mixed with harissa and fried eggs, and eaten from a plate or stuffed into a baguette at lunchtime. Stalls near Bab Souika and the central market make it to order, and the sound of the chopping is part of the show. Chef's tip: fry each vegetable separately; they cook at different speeds, and crowding them makes everything greasy and soft.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups sunflower oil for frying
- 2 potatoesin 1.5 cm dice
- 10 ½ oz pumpkin or butternut squashin 1.5 cm dice
- 2 green peppersin strips
- 2 tomatoeshalved
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp harissa
- ½ tsp ground caraway
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 baguette (optional)
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Fresh ingredients (4)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 2 cups sunflower oil for frying in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry 2 potatoes for 8–10 minutes until golden and tender; lift out. Fry 10 ½ oz pumpkin or butternut squash for 5–6 minutes until soft and lightly coloured; lift out.
16 minStep 2: Fry 2 green peppers for 3–4 minutes until blistered, then 2 tomatoes, cut side down, for 2–3 minutes until soft. Drain everything well on kitchen paper.
7 minStep 3: Pour off all but 2 tbsp of oil into a frying pan and fry 4 eggs over a medium heat until the whites set but the yolks are still soft.
4 minStep 4: Pile the vegetables and eggs on a large board with 2 tsp harissa, ½ tsp ground caraway and 1 tsp salt. Chop and mix with a big knife or mezzaluna until it is a rough mash with pieces still visible. Common mistake: blending it smooth — kafteji should have texture.
Step 5: Serve warm on plates or in split 1 baguette.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kafteji take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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 very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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