Ijjeh bil Bandoura wal Jibneh (Lebanese Tomato and Cheese Omelette)

La storia di questo piatto

Ijjeh bil bandoura wal jibneh is a Levantine home-kitchen omelet, the kind of dish that belongs to ordinary mornings and quick suppers rather than to feast days. Tomato, onion and local cheese gather in one pan like old friends who have long since stopped needing to explain themselves.

Ingredienti

• 3 pc Ripe tomatoes (about 400 g in total)
• 1 pc Onion (about 100 g)
• 4 pc Eggs
• 100 g Local cheese (akkawi or feta type), desalted if very salty
• 1 teaspoon Dried mint
• 1 teaspoon Sumac
• 4 tablespoons Olive oil (3 tablespoons for cooking + 1 raw)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt (a pinch for the tomatoes, the rest in the eggs; taste before adding)
• 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
• 15 g Fresh parsley (a small bunch, about 15 g)

Preparazione

1. If using akkawi, especially brine-packed, soak it in cold water for 15-20 minutes, then drain and dry it well. Cut the tomatoes into small, even dice, place them in a colander with a pinch of salt and let them drain: the water they release would make the omelette soggy, so it must be removed in advance. Meanwhile, slice the onion very thinly.
2. Heat three tablespoons of oil in a wide pan over medium heat and soften the onion, stirring often, for about eight minutes, until golden and tender. Add the drained tomatoes and cook for about five minutes more, until the residual water evaporates and the bottom of the pan is dry again. When the aroma becomes concentrated and sweet, you can proceed.
3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the salt (little, since the cheese is already salty), the pepper, the dried mint crumbled between your fingers and the sumac, for about a minute, until the mixture is smooth. Crumble the cheese into the tomato and onion mixture still in the pan and stir for a minute, just long enough to warm it. Pour the beaten eggs over it, spreading them across the entire surface.
4. Lower the heat to minimum, cover with a lid and cook without touching for about seven minutes, until the edges set and the centre is just barely wobbly. Low heat gives a soft, not rubbery omelette. For a golden top, pass the pan under the oven grill for a minute, or flip the omelette using a large plate and brown the other side over medium heat.
5. Slide the Ijjeh onto a plate and dress it with the remaining tablespoon of oil, raw. Finish with the chopped parsley and taste a warm piece: if it needs more acidity, add another sprinkle of sumac.