A rustic Greek scrambled egg dish with stewed tomatoes, crumbled feta, and a kick of chile flakes.
Strapatsada is a classic Greek breakfast or light dinner dish -- eggs scrambled directly into a pan of stewed tomatoes until they form soft, custardy curds, finished with crumbled feta. This version adds red chile flakes for a bit of heat, a modern touch some Greek home cooks include, especially in the islands where a bit of spice is more common than in mainland cooking. The technique that matters most is cooking the tomatoes down first until most of their liquid evaporates and they turn jammy -- adding eggs to a watery tomato base results in a runny, unappetizing dish rather than the soft curds strapatsada is known for. The eggs are then poured in and stirred gently and slowly, more like a French scramble than a hard-cooked omelet, so they stay soft and custardy. Served with crusty bread for mopping up the pan, this dish is simple, rustic Greek cooking that turns basic pantry ingredients -- eggs, tomatoes, and feta -- into something genuinely comforting.
Serves 2
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion 6-7 minutes until soft.
Add tomatoes, chile flakes, and salt. Simmer 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and most of the liquid evaporates.
Reduce heat to low and pour in beaten eggs. Stir gently and slowly, folding the eggs through the tomatoes.
Continue cooking and gently stirring 3-4 minutes until the eggs form soft, custardy curds -- don't let them fully set hard.
Remove from heat, crumble feta over the top, and scatter with fresh basil or parsley. Serve immediately with crusty bread.
Cook the tomatoes down until most of their liquid has evaporated before adding the eggs, or the dish will turn out watery and thin.
Cook the eggs over low heat, stirring gently and slowly -- this keeps them soft and custardy rather than turning them into dry, rubbery curds.
Pull the pan off the heat while the eggs still look slightly underdone; residual heat will finish setting them without overcooking.
Add sautéed bell pepper along with the onion for extra vegetables and sweetness.
Skip the chile flakes for a milder, more traditional strapatsada.
Use halloumi instead of feta for a firmer, saltier cheese element.
Best eaten fresh, as eggs lose their texture on reheating. If needed, refrigerate up to 1 day and reheat gently over low heat.
Strapatsada is a common Greek home-cooking dish, especially popular in summer when tomatoes are at their best, found across the mainland and islands with regional variations in the cheese used and how much the eggs are stirred versus left to set.
Yes, canned crushed tomatoes work well, especially outside of peak tomato season, and cook down to the right consistency in about the same amount of time.
They were likely cooked too long or over too high heat -- keep the heat low and pull the pan off just before the eggs look fully set, since they continue cooking from residual heat.
It has a mild kick from the chile flakes -- reduce or omit them entirely for a more traditional, non-spicy version.
Per serving (260g / 9.2 oz) · 2 servings total
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