Persian Herb Frittata

Kuku Sabzi

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/persian-herb-frittata • Posted by Octopus Publishing

This lovely deeply green frittata is very popular among Persians. I prefer to bake it because it is less messy and greasy than the original fried version, but also because laziness always gets the better of me. There are several different versions of this egg dish, known as kuku in Iran – with potato, aubergine and meat – but this is the most popular and the one I like the most. It is often cut up into little squares and served as canapés at cocktail parties. You can omit the walnuts and barberries but, I love them both, not only for texture but also for a burst of berry sharpness in every mouthful. Serves 8 as part of a mezze

You will need

2 x 100g packets of flat leaf Parsley 2 x 100g packets of Coriander 2 x 20g packets of Dill 3 x 20g packets of Chives 2 tbsp –3 tbsp Olive Oil 2 Bunches of Spring Onions , thinly sliced 2 tsp Turmeric 8 Medium free-range Eggs 2 tbsp Plain Flour 2 tbsp Greek Yogurt 3 tsp Baking Powder 2 tbsp Crushed Sea Salt Freshly Ground Black Pepper 3 tbsp –4 heaped tbsp dried Barberries 100 g Walnuts pieces, chopped

Project Budget

Time

Difficulty

Description

This lovely deeply green frittata is very popular among Persians. I prefer to bake it because it is less messy and greasy than the original fried version, but also because laziness always gets the better of me. There are several different versions of this egg dish, known as kuku in Iran – with potato, aubergine and meat – but this is the most popular and the one I like the most. It is often cut up into little squares and served as canapés at cocktail parties. You can omit the walnuts and barberries but, I love them both, not only for texture but also for a burst of berry sharpness in every mouthful. Serves 8 as part of a mezze

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4. Place a large cooking pot to warm over a medium heat.

2. Finely chop all the herbs (if you are using a food processor, you might need to do this in 2 batches). Pour the olive oil into the warm pan and fry the herbs and spring onions for a few minutes, then add the turmeric. Cook for a further 5 minutes, then place the herbs on a flat plate and allow to cool.

3. Meanwhile, mix the eggs, flour, yogurt, baking powder together with sea salt and black pepper to taste until everything is well combined and smooth. Once the herb mixture has cooled slightly so that it is no longer piping hot, slowly add a couple of spoonfuls at a time to the egg mixture and stir well until all the herb mixture is combined. Add in the barberries and walnuts (if using) and mix well once again.

4. Select a large ovenproof or Pyrex dish and line the dish with nonstick baking paper (this will enable you to remove the finished dish with greater ease). Pour in the egg-andherb mixture, then bake for 35–40 minutes. To check if the frittata is cooked, insert a knife into the centre. If it comes out clear of raw egg, the dish is done. If not, return it to the oven for a few minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool, then cut into squares to serve.