Feta, herb and barberry kuku

There aren’t many dishes that comfortably sit in the intersection between healthy and delicious. Well, this dish happens to straddle the dichotomy – I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between, and not get bored with it. It’s almost a frittata but there isn’t any “egginess” to it (thank goodness).  It’s suffused with herbs and umami spring onions, and laced with tongue-tingling sour barberries, sharp and salty feta, and warming toasted walnuts which add necessary texture. I add chilli, too, which means that every bite is an avalanche of flavour.

Kuku is high in protein, and basically carb-free (if that’s your thing), and really filling, too. I’ve adapted this one from a more traditional Persian recipe (where this dish originates).

And to add to the eulogy, it’s also so versatile: it can be served hot (when the feta is molten), or cold (I prefer cold as you can taste all the elements better). It also works well for most meals, and can be made in advance (so no stressful last min dinner party preparations).

This kuku simple to make too: minimal chopping, and it’s baked so you don’t need to labour over a pan on the stove.

NB once cooked, you can store it in an airtight container for up to three days in the fridge.

Feta, herb and barberry kuku - recipe

Ingredients (serves 4)

100g coriander

100g flat leaf parsley

25g fresh dill

100g spring onions (approx. 1 bunch)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cayenne

1 ¼ tsp salt

4 large eggs

20g Greek yogurt

30g flour (I use plain or white spelt but wholemeal also works well)

1 ½ tsp baking powder

200g feta, roughly chopped into 0.5cm cubes

50g walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped into small pieces

30g barberries

1 tbsp lemon juice

30xm x 30cm square tin with at least 7cm high sides, lined with baking parchment

Method

1)              Preheat oven to 200C.

2)              If you have a blender/food processor, place the coriander, parsley and dill in the bowl and blitz until finely chopped. You may need to do this in bursts depending on the size of your blender bowl. If making by hand, finely chop the herbs and set aside. Finely chop the spring onions into thin discs (as opposed to lengthways), and set aside.

3)              In a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and pour in the turmeric and cayenne pepper. Stir continuously to avoid the spices burning. Stir in the salt and chopped herbs and spring onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until the greens are slightly wilted. Remove from heat and spread the mixture out on a cold tray – this is to cool it down before it’s added to the eggs.

4)              In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and yogurt until combined. Sift in the flour and baking powder and whisk again until there are no lumps.

5)              Once the cooked herb mixture has cooled slightly, add this into the batter, along with the cubed feta, chopped toasted walnuts, barberries and lemon juice. Gently fold the mixture together until fully combined, and all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Then pour the mixture into the lined baking tin, and place in the oven to bake for 15-25 minutes. Make sure to check it after 15 minutes.  You’ll know it’s cooked through when the surface is firm, and an inserted knife or cake tester comes out clean.

6)              Remove from the oven and slice into squares. You can serve immediately or eat once cool.

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