Sami Tamimi's courgette and leek ijeh – Arabic frittata
'In Palestine, it's often made with finely chopped herbs and onions. I like the addition of fresh mint, dried mint and dill or fennel seeds.'
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Courgette and leek ijeh (Ijehet Kousa w Kurrath)
Ingredients
(Serves 4-6)
250g frozen peas, defrosted
2 courgettes (300g)
1 small onion (150g)
1 large leek, finely chopped (175g)
50g plain flour
15g fresh parsley, finely chopped
10g fresh mint leaves, thinly shredded
1¼tsp dried mint
1tsp Aleppo chilli flakes (or regular chilli flakes)
½tsp ground turmeric
1tsp dill or fennel seeds, slightly crushed
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and black pepper
3tbsp olive oil
To serve:
lemon wedges
sour cream
(Ola O. Smit/PA)
Method
1. Put the peas into a food processor and blitz for a few seconds – you want them to be slightly crushed but not mushy. Place in a mixing bowl and leave aside.
2. Trim the courgettes and peel the onion, then, using the coarse side of a box grater, grate them on to a clean tea towel or muslin. Gather the ends of the tea towel and twist hard over a bowl to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Add the grated courgette and onion to the peas, along with the leek, flour, herbs, spices, eggs, 1¾ teaspoons of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Mix well to form a uniform batter.
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3. Place a large (28cm) shallow non-stick pan (with a lid) on a medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the ijeh mixture, smoothing it down to make an even patty. Partly cover the pan and cook for about 17 minutes on a low heat, shaking the pan a few times to make sure it doesn't stick at the bottom, and running a rubber spatula around the sides, until the edges start to get golden brown. Get a large flat plate and it place over the pan.
4. Carefully invert the pan, plate and all, so that the ijeh ends up on the plate. Slide it back into the pan to cook uncovered for 15 minutes, until it is firm and cooked through. When ready to serve, slide the ijeh on to a serving plate, squeeze over a little lemon juice and serve with lemon wedges and sour cream on the side.
(Ebury/PA)
Boustany by Sami Tamimi is published in hardback by Ebury. Photography by Ola O Smit. Available now
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