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Fried Eggs with Za'atar and Sumac

Fried Eggs with Za'atar and Sumac

  • Makes
    1 Serving
  • Cook Time
    5 minutes
  • Active time plus cooling
    2 minutes active

"This is the breakfast my father loves to make us at home. Fried eggs without za’atar and sumac is unacceptable to him, so if he’s frying the eggs, you can bet there will be plenty of flavor and plenty of olive oil. You can use as little or as much za’atar and sumac as you like; you can also add or substitute Duqqa in this recipe. I like to pan-fry the eggs in a lot of olive oil so I can mop up the flavored oil with a piece of fresh bread, but you can use less oil or skip pouring the cooked oil over the eggs as I suggest. If you want the eggs to have crispy edges, cook each one separately." — Reem Kassis in "The Palestinian Table." (Photo credit: Dan Perez)

Ingredients
  • 2

    tablespoons olive oil

  • 2

    eggs

  • 1

    teaspoon Za’atar

  • 1

    teaspoon sumac

  • Labaneh, homemade or store-bought, to serve

  • Pita bread, homemade or store-bought, to serve

Step 1

In a small, non-stick skillet (frying pan), heat the oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Crack the eggs into the oil and sprinkle with the za’atar and sumac. When the outer edges start turning opaque, after about 1 minute, cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat.

Step 2

Lift the lid every 20 seconds or so, tilt the pan, and spoon some of the oil over the eggs, taking care not to burn yourself with the sputtering oil. This will help the top of the whites to crisp, the yolk to cook faster, and the oil to gain more flavor.

Step 3

Cook until the egg is your desired level of doneness, about 5 minutes for fully cooked and 3 minutes for runny yolks. Transfer the eggs to a plate and pour the oil over the top. Enjoy with pita bread and labaneh.