Strapatsada is the answer to an August glut of tomatoes, a Greek island staple of eggs scrambled into a quick tomato sauce, humble enough for a Tuesday and good enough that nobody treats it as a consolation prize.
The technique is what sets it apart from other tomato-and-egg dishes. You grate whole tomatoes on the coarse side of a box grater, skins left behind in your hand, then simmer the pulp down until it turns jammy and concentrated before the eggs ever go in.
It is a cousin of Turkish Menemen (recipe on the site), but strapatsada skips the peppers and leans harder on the tomato, often finished with crumbled feta instead of built around it.
Crusty bread for dragging through the leftover sauce is mandatory.
Strapatsada Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large ripe tomatoes, halved and grated on a box grater (skins discarded), or 2 cups crushed tomato
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 eggs
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta (optional)
- Crusty bread, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. If using onion, saute until soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add the grated tomato and oregano. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, until thickened and jammy.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Crack the eggs directly into the pan, or whisk them lightly first for a creamier, more uniform curd.
- Stir gently over medium-low heat until the eggs are softly set, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not overcook, they should still look a little glossy.
- Top with the feta, a little extra olive oil, and a crack of black pepper.
- Serve immediately with crusty bread.
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