Ejjeh
(Lebanese Omelette)

Name: Ejjeh
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: About 250g finely chopped zucchini flesh; 4 teaspoons salt flakes (1 tablespoon); 5 eggs; 40ml water (2 tablespoons); 3 green onion, finely sliced; ⅓ cup finely sliced flat-leaf parsley leaves and fine stems (about 25g whole); 1 clove garlic, crushed; 4 teaspoons plain flour (1 tablespoon); ¼ teaspoon Lebanese 7 Spice (baharat); Extra virgin olive oil, for shallow-frying

In Lebanon, ejjeh (omelettes), typically filled with just green onion and herbs, are popular as a snack, part of a meze, or as a sandwich filling wrapped inside fresh pita – sometimes with a little extra green onion and parsley or onion and parsley salad. So feel free to leave out the zucchini and use this recipe to make plain ejjeh instead. Ejjeh kousa (zucchini omelette) is often made to use up the flesh leftover from hollowing out zucchini for stuffing (kousa mahshi), though you could grate 250g of whole zucchini too; the pale green ones are best as they don’t have as much moisture as the darker ones.

Serves 8 as part of a mezze

Ingredients

About 250g finely chopped zucchini flesh
4 teaspoons salt flakes (1 tablespoon)
5 eggs
40ml water (2 tablespoons)
3 green onion, finely sliced
⅓ cup finely sliced flat-leaf parsley leaves and fine stems (about 25g whole)
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 teaspoons plain flour (1 tablespoon)
¼ teaspoon Lebanese 7 Spice (baharat), see video below
Extra virgin olive oil, for shallow-frying

Method

Place zucchini in a strainer and toss with salt, set aside for 15 minutes or so to drain.
Whisk eggs and water together well in a mixing bowl.
Squeeze zucchini to remove as much moisture as possible.
Add to eggs.
Add green onion, parsley, garlic, flour and 7 Spice and mix well. Divide mixture in half.
Heat a small frying pan over high heat.
Add enough oil to generously cover the base of the pan.
When oil is hot, add half the egg mixture, spreading the filling out to the edges.
Reduce heat to medium–high and fry for about 2 minutes until edges colour, tilting the pan and lifting the edges after a minute or so to let the unset egg flow under the set mixture.
Turn over, reduce heat to medium and cook for a further minute or so, until well-coloured.
Remove to a paper towel-lined rack.
Add more oil and repeat with remaining mixture.
Serve warm.