A Palestinian classic that turns humble vegetables into a tasty meal

(Image credit: Ola O. Smit)

What better way to welcome the weekend than with the smell and sound of a frying ijeh, asks Sami Tamimi. A delicious frittata-like mixture of courgettes, leeks, peas, herbs and eggs, it is often made, in Palestine, with finely chopped herbs and onions. I like the addition of fresh and dried mint, and dill or fennel seeds.

Ingredients

• 250g frozen peas, defrosted
• 2 courgettes (300g)
• 1 small onion (150g)
• 1 large leek, finely chopped (175g)
• 50g plain flour
• 15g fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 10g fresh mint leaves, thinly shredded
• 1 1⁄4 tsp dried mint
• 1 tsp Aleppo chilli flakes (or regular chilli flakes)
• 1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp dill or fennel seeds, slightly crushed
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• salt and black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil

To serve:

• Lemon wedges
• Soured cream

Method

• Put the peas into a food processor and blitz for a few seconds – you want them to be slightly crushed but not mushy. Place in a mixing bowl and leave aside.
• Trim the courgettes and peel the onion, then, using the coarse side of a box grater, grate them on to a clean tea towel or muslin.
• Gather the ends of the tea towel and twist hard over a bowl to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Add the grated courgettes and onion to the peas, along with the leek, flour, herbs, spices, eggs, 1 3⁄4 teaspoons of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Mix well to form a uniform batter.
• Place a large (28cm) shallow non-stick pan (with a lid) on a medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the ijeh mixture, smoothing it down to make an even patty. Partly cover the pan and cook for about 17 minutes on a low heat, shaking the pan a few times to make sure it doesn’t stick at the bottom, and running a rubber spatula around the sides, until the edges start to get golden brown. Get a large flat plate and place it over the pan.
• Carefully invert the pan, plate and all, so that the ijeh ends up on the plate. Slide it back into the pan to cook uncovered for 15 minutes, until it is firm and cooked through.
• When ready to serve, slide the ijeh on to a serving plate, squeeze over a little lemon juice, and serve with lemon wedges and soured cream.

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Taken from Boustany: A celebration of vegetables from my Palestine by Sami Tamimi.

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