Kafteji (Fried Vegetable and Egg Hash)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Medium potatoes, peeled and diced small — 2
- Small eggplant, diced small — 1
- Zucchini, diced small — 1
- Green pepper, diced small — 1
- Sunflower oil, for frying
- Salt, plus extra to taste — 1 tsp
- Large eggs — 3
- Harissa, to taste — 1–2 tbsp
- Garlic cloves, minced — 2
- Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve — 1 tbsp
- Bread, to serve
Method
- Heat about 2 cm (3/4 in) of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Fry the potatoes for 6–8 minutes until golden and tender, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain.
- Fry the eggplant for 4–5 minutes until softened and golden, then remove and drain.
- Fry the zucchini and pepper together for 4–5 minutes until softened, then remove and drain.
- Pour off most of the oil, leaving a thin layer, and return the pan to medium heat.
- Add the garlic and harissa, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Return all the fried vegetables to the pan, season with salt, and roughly chop and mash everything together with the edge of a spatula as it heats through.
- Push the vegetables to one side, crack in the eggs, and scramble them gently, then fold everything together.
- Scatter with parsley and serve hot with bread.
Introduction: Kafteji is a hearty Tunisian dish of small-diced fried vegetables — potato, eggplant, pepper and zucchini —
chopped together with scrambled egg and a generous swipe of harissa, popular as a filling, satisfying
lunch or sandwich filling.
Cultural Background: Kafteji is a hearty Tunisian dish of small-diced fried vegetables — potato, eggplant, pepper and zucchini —
chopped together with scrambled egg and a generous swipe of harissa, popular as a filling, satisfying
lunch or sandwich filling.
Tips: Frying the vegetables separately ensures each one cooks through properly before they're combined. Roughly chopping everything together in the pan, rather than finely, gives kafteji its characteristic rustic texture.
Variations: Add cubed fried liver or merguez for a heartier, meat-based version, a common addition. Serve wrapped in a baguette as a kafteji sandwich. This recipe is already an authentic vegetarian dish; some regional versions add fried liver or merguez.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a hot dry pan for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until warmed through.
FAQs:
Q: Can I bake the vegetables instead of frying?
A: Yes, roasting at 200°C (400°F) until tender gives a lighter, though less traditional, result.
Q: What makes kafteji different from ratatouille?
A: Kafteji is fried rather than stewed, chopped together with egg, and served with a generous amount of harissa.
Q: Is it usually eaten as a sandwich?
A: Yes, it's very commonly stuffed into a baguette as a popular Tunisian lunch sandwich.
- Medium potatoes, peeled and diced small — 2
- Small eggplant, diced small — 1
- Zucchini, diced small — 1
- Green pepper, diced small — 1
- Sunflower oil, for frying
- Salt, plus extra to taste — 1 tsp
- Large eggs — 3
- Harissa, to taste — 1–2 tbsp
- Garlic cloves, minced — 2
- Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve — 1 tbsp
- Bread, to serve
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