Strapatsada Recipe – Greek Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes and Feta

Step-by-step recipe

1. Like any other egg dish, strapatsada is quick and simple to make. Ripe tomatoes are essential – they are the base of the dish. They are often diced or grated into a purée, especially if they are juicy. That doesn't matter much, since everything cooks down into a smooth sauce anyway. The pepper can be hot or sweet – your choice. I recommend farm eggs: their yolks are usually darker and they taste better.
   
2. First, prepare the tomatoes. They need to be peeled. Often a sharp knife is enough. Or, easier still, scald the tomatoes with boiling water and put them under cold water – the skin then comes off easily with your fingers. The flesh can be diced, grated on a coarse grater or chopped with a knife into a purée with noticeable chunks. Don't use a blender – you'll end up with tomato juice.
   
3. Peel the onion and dice it. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and fry for 2-3 mins until it softens a little. Seed the pepper – a mildly hot one is best, or a sweet one if you don't like spicy food. Chop the pepper finely and add it to the onion. Fry the onion and pepper for 3-4 mins.
   
4. Add the prepared tomato flesh. For seasoning, add 0.5 tsp sugar, salt, a pinch of dried oregano and thyme, and 0.5 tsp sweet paprika. Strapatsada is especially good if you add a few drops of balsamic vinegar to the tomatoes. Once the sauce comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium. Simmer the tomatoes uncovered over medium heat for about 10 mins. Some of the liquid needs to evaporate so the sauce thickens.
   
5. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl. Beat them lightly with a whisk until smooth. When the sauce is thick enough – it should barely run – pour the lightly beaten eggs into the pan. Use the same whisk to stir the eggs into the sauce until the mixture is evenly mottled.
   
6. Keep stirring and turn up the heat. The eggs set quickly – usually in a few minutes. The mixture will gradually thicken and stop running across the bottom of the pan. At this point the dish is done. Sometimes crumbled feta is added at this stage. I prefer to serve a piece of cheese on the plate instead.
   
7. Toast a few slices of wholegrain bread in a dry frying pan beforehand. Put the finished eggs on a plate – they are firm enough and don't run. Add the bread slices, a piece or two of soft feta, fermented or pickled vegetables and some herbs – basil, parsley, cilantro. The dish can be served hot or cold. I'll say straight away – it's better hot. You can also grate the soft cheese over the eggs. A drizzle of olive oil on top is common when serving, and sometimes a few pieces of sun-dried tomatoes are added.
   
8. Serving can be quite fanciful and varied. What sets these eggs apart from the well-known Shakshuka is that the eggs are stirred in. Balkan Mish-mash, in turn, calls for lots of fried or roasted sweet peppers. But the dishes are clearly related.