Better an egg today than...
Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow. Specially in dire times. Eggs are probably the easiest available proteins. Hence the numerous ways to prepare them. Still every culture, every region tends to give the preparation a twist. Usually by combining them with local ingredients.
Here are some Sicilian and Italian interpretations. What’s usual for you is exotic to others. And vice versa.
Pairing with peas
Eggs and peas are a classic in the southern Italian cuisine. Sunny side up eggs on peas and onion. And although it is clearly a last minute choice dish, it never disappoints. The dish is amazing with fresh peas, passable with frozen ones.
Some prepare the dish adding two glasses of water to the peas. Thus resulting in a soup-like course. It is ideal to soak bread in.
Don’t cover the pan. A white veil will appear on yolk. A chromatic disaster.
Fare la frittata
This egg dish is the Italian response to the French omelette.
A frittata often is an emergency dish. It crowns the moment between realizing there is nothing in the pantry and preparing dinner all together. A couple of eggs and grated cheese. Anything else is welcome but not essential. That is why people preparing this dish are happy and smiling. They pulled it off. Stick to the essence, to what cooking is all about. It is then fundamentally pleasing and makes preparing this dish very Italian.
The egg and the tomato
The south Italian cuisine is often characterized by the use of tomatoes. And it turns out that egg and tomato are a match made in heaven. With or without cheese, scrambled or sunny side up, you name it.
Make sure to serve these dishes with bread. You need that to mop up the sauce.
Our preference goes to ‘Carmela’s eggs‘. Named after the woman who served them for breakfast. A breakfast of champions.
Some simple solutions
In taverne, drinking places, hard boiled eggs are essential. Some say it protects the stomach from profuse drinking. Others go so far as stating it keeps them sober.
Leaving eggs in the ashes of a fireplace is something to do. Make sure not to have any embers nearby. It takes about a night to get the eggs fully solidified. Just in time for breakfast. The smoky aftertaste of the egg is unforgettable.
