Bayd w Banadoura
بيض وبندورة·(bayd wuh ban-a-doo-rah)
The Sobhiyeh: Morning Rituals & The Forn
Tuesday night at seven, the butter melts, the olive oil hisses, and the tomatoes blister inside a twelve-inch cast-iron skillet. Make no mistake: there are no bell peppers, and there is no heavy spice blend hiding mediocre technique. You must scorch and reduce the tomatoes in butter and olive oil until they transform into a concentrated, sweet jam before swirling in the eggs. Leave the yolks soft; Bayd w Banadoura is best eaten straight from the skillet with torn bread.
Before you start
Use canned whole peeled tomatoes if fresh ones are out of season.
Substitute 1 1/2 cups of high-quality canned whole peeled tomatoes, crushed thoroughly by hand. Avoid pre-diced canned tomatoes, as they are treated with calcium chloride and will never break down into the necessary jammy consistency.
Ingredients
- ripe plum or beefsteak tomatoes4 med
- large eggs4 large
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- extra-virgin olive oil1 tbsp
- garlic1 large clove
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- Lebanese 7-Spice or ground cinnamon1/8 tsp
- fresh parsley1 small handful
- thin Lebanese pita bread1 package
Method
- 01
Grate the cut side of the halved tomatoes against the large holes of a box grater set inside a bowl.
The flesh will easily pulp into the bowl, leaving the tough skin flat in your palm to be discarded. This simple weeknight hack bypasses the tedious traditional blanching and peeling process entirely.
- 02
Melt the butter and olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
Once the butter is foaming, add the minced garlic and sauté for just 30 seconds until fragrant. Be careful not to let it brown.
- 03
Pour the grated tomatoes into the hot fat and aggressively fry them into a thick jam.
Add the salt, black pepper, and 7-spice. Keep the heat medium-high and squish the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes until the watery, pale red liquid bubbles away and reduces into a dark, sputtering paste. Do not rush this; watery tomatoes will ruin the eggs.
- 04
Lower the heat to medium-low and pour the lightly beaten eggs directly over the bubbling tomato jam.
Let it sit untouched for 15 seconds to allow the bottom to set. Then, using a spatula, gently fold and swirl the eggs through the tomatoes. You want distinct, soft curds marbled with the dark red jam, not a uniform scramble.
- 05
Remove the skillet from the heat while the eggs are still slightly wet and glistening.
The residual heat of the pan will carry-over cook the eggs to perfection by the time it hits the table.
- 06
Serve the skillet directly in the center of the table.
Garnish with chopped parsley. Use torn pieces of warm pita bread to scoop the eggs straight from the pan—no forks allowed.
Notes
Bayd w Banadoura is not Shakshuka.
Resist the urge to add bell peppers, onions, cumin, or paprika. The greatness of this dish lies in its restraint and the chemical reaction of reducing the tomatoes in fat.
The temperature of your eggs matters.
Always use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs straight from the fridge will drastically drop the temperature of the tomato sauce, leading to uneven cooking and watery separation.
From Cook Lebanese in America.