Greek Shakshuka a.k.a. Kayiana
That title is a mouthful, right? Right! How about Greek Egg Scramble? Easier? Oh, yes!
Kayiana (kah-yia-NAH) which also goes by other names, is an easy breakfast dish, but in the traditional Greek heritage kitchen, it's also an easy lunch and, often, dinner. The toast and avocado are ingredients in this, my own, invention as a way to update the traditional dish that I ate often as a child and young adult.
My sister, Antonia, and I grew up eating this many times during a hot Australian summer (where we'd migrated to from Greece before heading to the United States), but we knew it as eggs with tomatoes. Our mother was from the island of Samos but had also lived in Athens as a young adult. I cannot determine all of her cooking influences, and I cannot ask her--she passed away when my sister and I were in our teens--so, I've never called this scramble of deliciousness anything other than eggs with tomatoes. In addition to this moderate mess of confusion, my Aunt Polly, now almost 93, has always made Kayiana differently. We lived with my aunt from 1977 until the late 1980s. She always prepared it by dusting large chunks of feta in a bit of flour, cooking them in a generous amount of olive oil until both sides turned crispy and golden, and then she poured in previously whisked eggs and cooked the whole thing until the eggs had set into large curds. When she called this Kayiana, I didn't know what she was talking about! To further my confusion (and yours by now) since beginning research for my book, Greek Heritage Cooking Simplified, I've come across different versions of this Kayiana and variations on the name. So, in order to keep things simple, I will refer to this as Greek Egg Scramble or Greek Shakshuka.
Are you hungry now? Well, here's what you do.
Chop up fresh tomatoes. Cook them rapidly in a non-stick pan with olive oil. Top with feta cheese, pour whisked eggs on top and cook until almost set. Top two well-toasted and buttered pieces of bread with sliced or mashed avocado, and cover the whole thing with the egg scramble. Sprinkle with a bit of freshly ground black pepper, sea salt and chopped fresh oregano.
For a printable recipe, click on this link. And for a bit of fun, watch the video below for an oral version of the instructions. It was a day when I challenged myself to describe something without using my hands. It was also the day that I repeated "and then" over and over and over...you get the picture, I know, but for a teeny giggle or two, check out the video.
Kayiana (kah-yia-NAH) which also goes by other names, is an easy breakfast dish, but in the traditional Greek heritage kitchen, it's also an easy lunch and, often, dinner. The toast and avocado are ingredients in this, my own, invention as a way to update the traditional dish that I ate often as a child and young adult.
My sister, Antonia, and I grew up eating this many times during a hot Australian summer (where we'd migrated to from Greece before heading to the United States), but we knew it as eggs with tomatoes. Our mother was from the island of Samos but had also lived in Athens as a young adult. I cannot determine all of her cooking influences, and I cannot ask her--she passed away when my sister and I were in our teens--so, I've never called this scramble of deliciousness anything other than eggs with tomatoes. In addition to this moderate mess of confusion, my Aunt Polly, now almost 93, has always made Kayiana differently. We lived with my aunt from 1977 until the late 1980s. She always prepared it by dusting large chunks of feta in a bit of flour, cooking them in a generous amount of olive oil until both sides turned crispy and golden, and then she poured in previously whisked eggs and cooked the whole thing until the eggs had set into large curds. When she called this Kayiana, I didn't know what she was talking about! To further my confusion (and yours by now) since beginning research for my book, Greek Heritage Cooking Simplified, I've come across different versions of this Kayiana and variations on the name. So, in order to keep things simple, I will refer to this as Greek Egg Scramble or Greek Shakshuka.
Are you hungry now? Well, here's what you do.
Chop up fresh tomatoes. Cook them rapidly in a non-stick pan with olive oil. Top with feta cheese, pour whisked eggs on top and cook until almost set. Top two well-toasted and buttered pieces of bread with sliced or mashed avocado, and cover the whole thing with the egg scramble. Sprinkle with a bit of freshly ground black pepper, sea salt and chopped fresh oregano.
For a printable recipe, click on this link. And for a bit of fun, watch the video below for an oral version of the instructions. It was a day when I challenged myself to describe something without using my hands. It was also the day that I repeated "and then" over and over and over...you get the picture, I know, but for a teeny giggle or two, check out the video.
We entertained (were entertained by?) Despina and hubby Dewey at our Litchfield, SC condo over our kid's spring break. One morning Despina prepared this dish for us, using light rye bread as the toast. I just can't express how wonderful this dish it. Simple, filling, but also elegant. The avocado and rye kicked it up to a whole new level. I can't stress enough that you must use the amount of olive oil she recommends (I'd used a tablespoon more!). Seems like a lot, but adds something special. Despina is the bomb and knows what she's doing in the kitchen. Love you 'Speener!
ReplyDeleteLove you too Mikey! Thanks for the love!
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