Kabak Kalyesi with Eggs and Beyaz Cheese

La storia di questo piatto

Kabak kalyesi belongs to the Turkish home table, where summer zucchini meet eggs and salty beyaz peynir in one wide, quiet pan. It is an everyday dish of kitchens, not ceremony, a plate that tastes like a warm afternoon at home.

Ingredienti

• 400 g Zucchini
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt for the zucchini
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 20 g Butter
• 1 piece Spring onion
• 1 clove Garlic
• 100 g Beyaz peynir cheese
• 4 piece Eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried mint
• 1 tablespoon Fresh dill
• 1/2 piece Lemon
• 1 pinch Fine salt for final adjustment (optional, only if needed)

Preparazione

1. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a grater, as you would potatoes. Place them in a colander, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and let them rest for 10 minutes: they will release a lot of water and moisture, which would otherwise flood the dish. After the time has passed, squeeze them firmly by hand until the green pile feels almost dry to the touch. Do not add any more salt for now: the beyaz peynir is already very salty.
2. In a wide pan (at least 26-28 cm, you will need room for the 4 eggs) heat the olive oil and butter together over medium heat, until the butter foams gold and gives off a hazelnut aroma. Add the finely chopped spring onion and crushed garlic and sauté for 1 minute: they should become glossy and fragrant without browning, otherwise they turn bitter.
3. Add the well-squeezed zucchini to the pan and cook over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally: the bright green fades, they become soft and lightly golden where they touch the bottom, and that is where the flavor concentrates. If they start to stick, lower the heat slightly and stir more often.
4. Lower the heat to minimum and spread the zucchini evenly. Crumble the beyaz peynir over the top in irregular chunks. With the back of a spoon make 4 small wells, well spaced apart, and crack an egg into each. Cover with a lid and cook for 4-6 minutes over low heat: the whites should set while the yolks remain glossy and soft. With high heat or longer cooking the yolks will firm up, so check already after 4 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the heat. Grind black pepper over the eggs and zucchini, add the red pepper flakes, crumble the dried mint between your fingers and finely chop the fresh dill over the top.
6. Taste the zucchini from the edge of the pan and add a pinch of fine salt only if needed, remembering that the cheese has already contributed plenty. Finish with a drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon juice over the top: that acidic touch binds and brightens all the flavors. Serve immediately, with warm bread.