Hassan’s Easy Eggs with Za’atar and Lemon

Post Image
Credit: Jenny Zarins

Serve these simple soft-boiled eggs with plenty of warm bread or pita to mop up the olive oil.

Serves4

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Post Image
Credit: Jenny Zarins

These eggs will always remind Sami of his father, Hassan, who used to make them on
the weekend for Sami and his siblings. It’s proof, if ever proof were needed, that few
things are not improved by the addition of some good-quality olive oil, a squeeze of
lemon, and a sprinkle of za’atar. Serve with some warm bread or pita to mop up the oil.

Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley‘s Falastin is Kitchn’s January pick for our Cookbook Club. See how you can participate here.

Hassan’s Easy Eggs with Za’atar and Lemon

Serve these simple soft-boiled eggs with plenty of warm bread or pita to mop up the olive oil.

Serves 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 6

    eggs

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons

    lemon juice

  • 3 tablespoons

    olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon

    za'atar

  • Salt and black pepper

  • 2

    green onions, finely sliced (1/4 cup)

  • 1/8 teaspoon

    Aleppo (or any other) chile flakes

Instructions

  1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and carefully lower in the eggs. Boil for 5 to 6 minutes, then rinse at once under plenty of cold running water.

  2. Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and za’atar and set aside.

  3. Peel and roughly quarter the eggs, by hand so that they’re not too neat, and arrange on a serving plate, yolk side up. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of black pepper and drizzle the lemon juice–olive oil mix over the top. Sprinkle with the green onions and chile flakes and serve at once.

Recipe Notes

Playing around: Eggs pair well with all sorts of chile flakes, so use what you have. Urfa chile flakes, if you have some, look particularly great and bring a smoky flavor. Sumac can replace the za’atar, and cubes of creamy avocado are also a lovely addition.

Reprinted with permission from Falastin: A Cookbook by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley, copyright © 2020. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.” Photography credit: Jenny Zarins © 2020