Popular in Iraq and throughout the Middle East for breakfast, this very simple, quick and absolutely delicious way of serving eggs, either for breakfast or for lunch is definitely one of the ‘keep-file’. Served with these instant soft and charred flatbread, it’s a pauper’s meal fit for a king.
Ingredients
(Serves 1)
Flatbread
(makes 8)
250 g self-raising flour, plus extra for rolling
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra
250 g buttermilk or Greek yoghurt
Baghdad Eggs
30 g butter
1 garlic clove, grated or finely chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp smoked paprika
2 eggs
1 tbsp lemon juice
a few mint & parsley leaves
½ tsp sumac (optional)
1 dollop Greek yoghurt
½ tsp harissa
salt flakes
Method
- Make the flatbread first by mixing together all the ingredients in a small bowl to make a soft dough.
- Turn out onto a well-floured bench; divide into 8 balls and then roll out to ½ cm thick.
- Heat a ribbed grilled plate or open barbecue grill until very hot. Drizzle over a little olive oil and then bake each flat bread 2 – 3 minutes per side until puffed and charred.
- To make the eggs, heat the butter in a small frying pan until foamy. Add the garlic and spices and stir.
- Crack in the eggs and cook on low for 1 minute.
- Pour over the lemon juice and continue to cook, spooning over the buttery juices until the whites are just cooked.
- Serve with a few mint and parsley leaves, a sprinkle of sumac, a dollop of yoghurt, ½ teaspoon of harissa, salt flakes and the flatbread to the side.
