Menemen with Eggplant and Feta Recipe
This breakfast looks like a little pan of happiness: eggs gently set in a sauce of tomatoes, peppers and sautéed eggplant, topped with crumbled feta. In Turkey, egg dishes like this are often eaten lazily, with plenty of bread and long conversations at the table. It’s something between shakshuka and a vegetable scramble – a great way to sneak in more veggies from the very start of the day.
Menemen with eggplant and feta is a comforting, colorful breakfast that brings Turkish flavors to your table with simple ingredients. The combination of creamy eggs, smoky eggplant, sweet peppers and salty feta makes it feel special, yet it’s easy enough for any weekend morning.
Chef's tips
Use a wide pan so the eggs have enough space and cook evenly. If your tomatoes are not very flavorful, add a spoonful of tomato paste to deepen the taste of the sauce. Don’t rush the vegetables – letting the onion, pepper and eggplant soften properly is key to a rich, sweet base.
How to serve
Serve straight from the pan placed in the center of the table so everyone can scoop out their portion. Add a simple cucumber and tomato salad on the side, and offer extra feta and fresh herbs for sprinkling. Warm, soft bread is essential for mopping up every last bit of sauce.
Ingredients
- eggs - 4 piece
- eggplant - 1 piece
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- tomatoes - 3 piece
- onion - 1 piece
- feta cheese - 60 g
- vegetable oil - 3 tablespoon
- butter - 10 g
- sweet paprika powder - 1 teaspoon
- hot paprika powder - 0.5 teaspoon
- salt
- black pepper
- parsley finely chopped - 2 tablespoon
Preparation
- Cut the eggplant into cubes of about 1.5 cm, sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside for 10 minutes to draw out some moisture, then rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
- Peel the onion and dice it finely. Remove the seeds and core from the pepper and slice it into strips, then into smaller pieces. Scald the tomatoes with boiling water, peel off the skins and dice them (if using canned tomatoes, simply drain them).
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Add the eggplant and fry over medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until it softens and is lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and the butter. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes over medium heat, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent without browning.
- Add the pepper and fry for another 4–5 minutes, until it softens. Add the sweet and hot paprika, stirring quickly so the spices don’t burn.
- Add the tomatoes and the sautéed eggplant. Simmer everything together for 5–7 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
- Make 4 small wells in the sauce. Crack one egg into each well, trying not to break the yolks. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over low heat for 4–6 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks remain slightly runny (or longer, if you prefer firmer yolks).
- Finally, sprinkle everything with crumbled feta and chopped parsley. Serve immediately, ideally straight from the pan, with pieces of fresh bread for dipping into the sauce.
Storage
Najlepiej smakuje od razu po przygotowaniu, bo jajka po podgrzaniu stają się twardsze. Jeśli zostanie porcja, przechowuj ją w lodówce pod przykryciem i zjedz w ciągu 24 godzin, podgrzewając bardzo delikatnie na małym ogniu.
