Greek Scrambled Eggs

Recipe calls for 2 large, ripe and firm tomatoes. Unless you have your own garden, or a really good farm stand, you are not going to find this ingredient-and even under best circumstances, maybe 2 months a year. To use the out of season drek from supermarkets would be a crime! Perhaps the chef could tell us that it would be OK (not as good, but permissible) to substitute 1/2 cup or so of good quality canned tomatoes. Would make things a bit more practical for the off season!

JimF

This is one of my favorite ways to make eggs with a custard-like texture. Since I am in Mexico, I add rings of dried chilies when the garlic is nearly browned.
When the egg is ready to serve, I top with a spoonful of thick yogurt as well as any good dry cheese I have available. Chopped cilantro and avocado are good additions on the table to add as you like.

This is similar to a "Persian omelet." Fresh tomatoes are best, but can use drained canned Plum tomatoes in a pinch. The Persian version is simpler if you have saffron on hand. Melt a little butter with the saffron (to taste). Cook the tomatoes until the water is cooked off, stir in eggs. When they're close to cooked add the saffron butter mixture and finish. Season with salt/pepper to taste. Serve with flat bread, we like it toasted. To get fancy, serve with feta, herbs, walnuts, etc.

I had all the ingredients on hand except the kefalotyri cheese, but I did have some nice feta, so feta it was and it worked just fine thanks. Quick, easy and delicious and good for lunch too, not just breakfast.

The recipe indicates that if you don't have fresh herbs, you can substitute an equal amount of dried. That seems like bad advice. Most recipes indicate that if you use fresh herbs, you'd want to use 2 to 4 times as much as dried. I used 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and it was fine.

When fresh tomatoes are out of season you can use Little Cherub cherry tomatoes or San Marzano whole or crushed canned tomatoes instead.

I recall being charged about $25 for this dish on Santorini some summers ago during the financial crisis. The view was lovely, the eggs and tomatoes were quite good but the bill was a shock. But reading the recipe brings back the Aegean Sea in August. They used cherry tomatoes which were said to be a local , not to be missed, treat. I'd suggest that even off season grocery store cherry tomatoes have a lot of flavor. So they would be a great substitute.

I tried to grate the tomato, ended up just smashing it against the grater (maybe my grater isn't sharp enough). So I chopped it the tomato up and it turned out fine.

If you are feeling especially lazy, use salsa instead of grating the tomatoes. With the eggs and cheese, it is tasty and simple if not “Greek”.

Actually, the ratio of fresh to dry herbs is 2 to 1. Think about it, the dried herbs are more concentrated than the fresh herbs. So, if it calls for 2 teaspoons fresh herb, use 1 teaspoon dried herb.

I love how the eggs turned a little bit custardy in texture by grating the tomato instead of chopping it up. I replaced the herbs with fresh basil i had and added feta - it was delicious!! I will definitely make this for guests - not just myself - next time. Yummy!

In a pinch, a 15 oz can of tomatoes (and their juices) works great!

I used canned crushed tomatoes, worked out great!

I think the difference between good and bad tomatoes is not as noticeable when they are cooked. However, I think canned would be a good substitute in this recipe. And if they are peeled, you can skip the messy grating task, just break them up with a spoon as they cook.

I've made this for the past 3 nights for dinner. Simple and quick to make, and completely addicting. I added a handful of finely chopped spinach, and served it on toast.

I am one of those people who, excuse the expression, gags if I see any egg-white in my scrambled eggs (although I can eat hard cooked egg whites and firmly cooked egg white in eggs over medium). So, I prepared this dish with fully beaten eggs. Delish!