Kafteji (Tunisian Fried Vegetables with Eggs)
Local name: كفتاجي
In short: Potatoes, peppers, zucchini and pumpkin fried until golden, chopped together and finished with eggs, cumin and harissa, a Tunisian street-food plate. It takes about 1 h in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 1 h
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 390 kcal
Kafteji is a Tunisian street-food plate of fried vegetables chopped together and topped with an egg. Potatoes, peppers, zucchini and pumpkin or squash are fried in oil until golden, then chopped with cumin, garlic and harissa. Vendors serve it on a plate or stuff it into bread. At home it is a cheap, filling way to use up late-summer vegetables.
Instructions
- Heat 4 tbsp (60 ml) of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the potatoes for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until golden and tender. Lift them out onto paper towels.
- Add a little more oil and fry the pumpkin for 6 to 7 minutes until browned at the edges. Lift it out.
- Fry the zucchini and peppers together for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly browned. Drain with the other vegetables.
- Tip all the fried vegetables onto a board and chop them roughly with a large knife, mixing as you go, until the pieces are about the size of peas.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in the skillet and stir the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the chopped vegetables, cumin, caraway, harissa and salt, and stir for 3 minutes.
- Make 4 wells in the vegetables and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the whites are set.
- Serve hot with lemon wedges and bread.
Tips
- Fry the vegetables separately so each one browns instead of steaming. The mix of textures is the point of the dish.
- For the street-food version, pile the kafteji into a split baguette with harissa, a slice of boiled egg and a few olives.
Questions and answers
Can I bake the vegetables instead of frying them?
Yes. Toss them in 3 tbsp oil and roast at 220°C (425°F) for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, then chop and finish as above. The result is lighter but still browned.
Can I make kafteji ahead of time?
Fry and chop the vegetables up to a day ahead and refrigerate them. Reheat in a hot pan with the spices and add the eggs just before serving.
What do you serve with kafteji?
Bread, lemon, harissa and a tomato salad. It also works as a sandwich filling or beside grilled meat.
How long does it take to make Kafteji (Tunisian Fried Vegetables with Eggs)?
About 1 h in total: 25 min of preparation and 35 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kafteji (Tunisian Fried Vegetables with Eggs)?
About 390 kcal per serving, with 10 g of protein, 33 g of carbohydrates and 21 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 390 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 10 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Sodium | 640 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
