Kofta Breakfast Scramble
Let me start off by saying that this is a delicious recipe that you will love, but it is NOT a traditional or authentic recipe by any means, it’s more of a Frankenrecipe. It’s mashup of one of my favorite breakfasts from Five Leaves in downtown L.A. and a breakfast dish I had in Morocco, eggs scrambled in khlea. Khlea is an amazing fatty fermented beef that you’ll see in the stalls of Morocco in huge buttery heaps that can live at room temperature for two years. Because the beef is so rich it’s perfect for throwing into a pan, tossing in a few eggs, and enjoying with bread for a filling and satisfying breakfast. It’s practically impossible to get Khlea in Los Angeles without making it yourself, so starting this recipe by cooking eggs in the fat rendered by the kofta reminds me of it a lot. :)
The Moroccan Scramble at Five Leaves is similar to the recipe below, but it has additions that make it more time-intensive, such as roasted chickpeas. It also uses Merguez sausage which has a similar flavor profile and a bright red hue due to the addition of harissa. Mmmm. If you have Merguez you can swap the kofta for Merguez any day!
INGREDIENTS:
2-4 kofta, torn into bite-sized pieces
4-6 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fresh cracked pepper
3 teaspoons salted butter
2 pitas, warmed
1 small avocado, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons cilantro leaves, chopped 2 teaspoons feta cheese
¼ Fresno pepper (or other spicy pepper), sliced into thin rounds
⅛ red onion, thinly sliced
Zaatar or sumac for finishing (optional)
LET’S COOK:
Heat a pan over a medium heat and cook your kofta until it’s crispy and warm. Turn off the burner and set the pan aside to cool, with the kofta still in the pan
Whisk eggs and add salt and pepper
Once the pan has cooled sufficiently add 2 teaspoons of butter and put the pan over a simmer. If the butter melts immediately, let it cool for another minute before adding the eggs
Stir eggs continuously until they’re set but still loose, about 4 minutes
Give each pita a generous coating of the remaining butter and top with avocado
Divide the eggs evenly and place on each pita
Top with cilantro, feta, sliced pepper, onion and zaatar or sumac (if desired)
[SERVES 2]