Persian Herb & Feta Omelette
More herb than egg, in the manner of a kuku, cooked flat in one pan and cut into wedges at the table.
Why it works
A kuku is close to half herbs by volume, and chopping them properly fine is what lets them collapse into the eggs instead of sitting there as damp green ribbons. Cooking gently under a lid sets the top with trapped steam, so there is no grilling, no flipping and no browned underside.
Method
- Chop the herbs on a board, tender stalks and all, until they fall in a soft heap rather than in strands.
- Beat the eggs in a bowl with the turmeric, cinnamon, salt and pepper, then fold in the herbs, walnuts, barberries and two thirds of the feta. It should look overwhelmingly green.
- Warm the oil in a 24 cm (10 in) pan over medium-low heat, pour in the mixture and spread it level. Scatter the last of the feta over the top.
- Cover and cook for 9 minutes without touching it. It is done when the centre no longer wobbles as you shake the pan and the edges have pulled inwards. The base should be set and pale gold, not dark.
- Slide onto the board, rest a minute, cut into wedges and serve with lemon to squeeze over.
For the toddler
Beat one egg with a spoonful of the chopped herbs in a separate bowl before you salt the rest at step 2, and cook it in a small pan under a lid. Feta is salt through and through, so keep it out of theirs. Chopped walnuts are a choking risk under five, so grind them fine or leave them off, and chop the barberries small. Cut the set omelette into soft fingers.
How the toddler notes workChef’s notes
Fenugreek leaves in place of some of the parsley take it closer to a Nowruz kuku. Any soft white cheese stands in for feta.
Chop the herbs the night before and box them with a sheet of kitchen paper.
Warm flatbread in the pan afterwards and put thick yoghurt and sliced radish on the table.
Better cold than hot. Keeps 3 days chilled and travels well in a lunchbox.