Strapatsada / Kagianas
Στραπατσάδα / Καγιανάς·(stra-pa-TSA-tha / ka-ya-NAS)
Proino & Dekatiano (The Morning Rhythms)
This isn't the heavy, neon-lit Greek food of American diners; it's survival food, garden food, genius food. It’s humble eggs scrambled into a rich, sweet, olive-oil-slicked tomato reduction. The secret to making it taste like the old country? Patience. You let the tomatoes cook down in a dry pan until their water entirely evaporates before introducing the oil or the eggs. It concentrates the flavor, ensuring the curds stay soft and pillowy, never weeping into a watery, tragic mess. It’s what a resourceful grandmother feeds her family when time is short, and it's a brilliant weeknight salvation you can easily pull off in an American kitchen.
Before you start
Grate the tomatoes.
Hold each tomato half by the skin side and grate the flesh on the large holes of a box grater directly into a bowl. Discard the skins left in your palm.
Lightly fork the eggs.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and gently break the yolks with a fork; do not whisk them into a uniform froth. You want visible streaks of white and yellow.
Ingredients
- large ripe beefsteak tomatoes4 large
- extra virgin olive oil4 tbsp
- yellow onion1/2 med
- Anaheim or Cubanelle pepper1/2 med
- large eggs6 large
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- block feta cheese in brine4 oz
- dried Greek oregano1 tsp
- crusty bread1 loaf
Method
- 01
Evaporate the tomato water in a dry pan.
Place a large, un-oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the grated tomatoes and cook until all the natural water evaporates and the pan looks thick and dry, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- 02
Build the savory base.
Lower the heat to medium, pour in the olive oil, and add the diced onion and pepper. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and the oil takes on a deep reddish-orange hue, then season with the salt and pepper.
- 03
Gently scramble the eggs.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, pour the eggs over the simmering tomato sauce, and let sit undisturbed for 15 seconds. Use a wooden spoon to gently push and fold the mixture, letting uncooked egg run to the bottom.
- 04
Fold in the feta and kill the heat.
Just as the eggs form soft, pillowy curds but still look slightly wet, fold in half of the crumbled feta and immediately remove the skillet from the heat. The residual heat will finish the cooking perfectly.
- 05
Garnish and serve.
Scatter the remaining feta over the top, drizzle with a little more olive oil, dust with the dried oregano, and serve straight from the pan with crusty bread.
Notes
The Winter Tomato Hack.
If it's the dead of winter and beefsteak tomatoes are mealy, substitute 2 pints of halved cherry tomatoes. Blister them in the dry pan until they burst, then stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and a splash of water, cooking until thick, before adding the olive oil.
Keep the garlic out of it.
Westernized recipes often add heavy doses of garlic, but that pushes the flavor profile toward an Italian marinara. Authentic native versions rely strictly on sweet onions and peppers so the delicate eggs can shine.
From Cook Greek in America.