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Fritaja sa šparogama
Fritaja sa šparogama: Istrian soft-scrambled eggs with wild asparagus, from Croatia
Come April, families across Istria and the Kvarner coast of Croatia walk the hedgerows picking thin, dark wild asparagus, and the first bunch nearly always becomes fritaja. Despite the name it is softer than an omelette: the spears are fried in olive oil, then beaten eggs are stirred through until they set in loose, creamy curds. Wild asparagus tastes greener and slightly bitter, which is lovely against the rich egg; thin garden asparagus works if you can't forage. Eat it for breakfast or a light supper with crusty bread and a glass of cold water or fresh juice. The usual slip is cooking the eggs hard and dry; stir gently over a low heat and stop while they still look moist. Chef's tip: snap each spear and keep only the part that breaks cleanly; the woody ends never soften.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 7 oz wild or thin green asparaguswoody ends snapped off
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlicthinly sliced
- 5 eggs
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Cut 7 oz wild or thin green asparagus into 3 cm pieces, keeping the tips separate.
3 minStep 2: Warm 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, add the asparagus stalks and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, then add the tips and cook for 2 minutes more, until bright green and just tender.
5 minStep 3: Add 1 clove garlic and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant but not coloured.
1 minStep 4: Beat 5 eggs with ½ tsp salt and 1 pinch black pepper and pour into the pan. Turn the heat to low.
1 minStep 5: Stir slowly with a spatula, folding the egg from the edges to the middle, for 2–3 minutes, until it forms soft, set curds with no liquid egg left. Serve at once.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fritaja sa šparogama take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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