Entree: Tunisia – Tunis & North – كفتاجي ➤ Kafteji (A Tunisian mixed fried-vegetable and egg skillet of potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and eggs)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 20 min

Total 45 min

Ingredients

- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced, approx. 1 lb (450 g)
- 3 medium tomatoes, chopped, about 12 oz (340 g)
- 2 medium bell peppers (red or green), seeded and chopped, about 8 oz (225 g)
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced, about 6 oz (170 g)
- 4 large eggs, approx. 200 g
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, about 0.25 oz (7 g)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil, plus extra for roasting peppers
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) harissa paste, or to taste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice, about 1 lemon (22 ml)
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) sweet paprika
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Roast and prepare peppers: preheat broiler or grill. Brush bell peppers with a little olive oil and roast until skins are charred and blistered, about 8–10 minutes, turning as needed. Place in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 10 minutes, then peel, seed, and chop.
2. Fry potatoes: heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced potatoes and a pinch of salt; fry, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, about 12–15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Sauté aromatics and tomatoes: in the same skillet add remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil. Sauté sliced onion until translucent, 5–7 minutes. Add garlic, cumin and paprika and cook 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes break down and liquid reduces, about 6–8 minutes.
4. Combine vegetables: return fried potatoes to the skillet, add chopped roasted peppers, and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If mixture is too dry, add 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) water and cook 1–2 minutes.
5. Add harissa and eggs: make four small wells in the vegetable mixture. Spoon a little harissa into the pan and crack an egg into each well (or scramble the eggs into the mixture if preferred). Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until eggs reach desired doneness, 5–8 minutes for set whites and runny yolks.
6. Finish and serve: drizzle lemon juice over the pan, sprinkle chopped parsley or cilantro, and serve hot with crusty bread for scooping. Adjust harissa to taste.