Strapatsada / Kagianas
Στραπατσάδα / Καγιανάς·(stra-pat-SA-da / ka-ya-NAS)
Proino & Dekatiano (The Morning Rhythms)
To a first-generation kid in a Midwestern suburb, the smell of Strapatsada sizzling on the stove means survival food, garden food, genius food. This isn't the heavy, neon-lit Greek diner fare of the American imagination; it's the unpretentious brilliance of grandmothers making something beautiful out of nothing. It is, at its core, just eggs scrambled into a sweet, olive-oil-slicked tomato sauce. But the secret to making it taste like the homeland lies in a ruthless dry-pan reduction—cooking the tomatoes down until they are practically bone-dry before introducing the fat or the eggs, ensuring soft, pillowy curds instead of a weeping, watery mess.
Ingredients
- cherry tomatoes2 pt
- tomato paste1 tbsp
- extra virgin olive oil1/4 cup
- yellow onion1/2 med
- Anaheim or Cubanelle pepper1/2 med
- eggs6 large
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- block feta cheese1/2 cup
- dried Greek oregano1 tsp
Method
- 01
Blister and reduce the tomatoes in a dry pan.
Place a large, dry skillet over medium-high heat—do not add the oil yet. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook until they burst and release their juices, letting the liquid evaporate completely until the pan looks thick and dry, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- 02
Build the foundational flavor.
Lower the heat to medium and pour in the olive oil. Add the diced onion, green pepper, and tomato paste, sautéing for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and the oil takes on a deep, reddish-orange hue, then season with the salt.
- 03
Prepare the eggs with a light hand.
Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and gently break the yolks with a fork. Do not whisk them into a uniform froth; distinct streaks of white and yellow should remain.
- 04
Execute the gentle scramble.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the eggs over the simmering tomato sauce. Let them sit undisturbed for 15 to 20 seconds to begin setting on the bottom, then use a wooden spoon to gently push and fold the eggs through the sauce.
- 05
Finish with the feta off the heat.
Just as the eggs form soft curds but still look slightly wet, fold in half of the feta and immediately remove the pan from the heat. The residual heat will finish the cooking perfectly; garnish with the remaining feta and dried oregano, serving straight from the skillet.
Notes
The summer tomato alternative.
If your garden is overflowing, swap the cherry tomatoes and paste for 4 large, overripe beefsteak tomatoes. Grate them on the large holes of a box grater directly into a bowl—the flesh will yield and the skin will stay flat in your palm. Discard the skins and proceed with the dry-pan reduction.
From Cook Greek in America.