Pitaquiles
I’m a Californian who lives in Tel Aviv and loves Mexican food. Chilaquiles, traditionally made with tortilla chips or strips moistened in a spicy tomato sauce, are a favorite of mine. I’ve started making a version using pita strips and a spicy roasted cherry tomato sauce. It’s great for brunch (or brunch-for-dinner), and you can double up on the sauce and finally find a use for those stale-ish pitas.
Ingredients
3 pitas
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Za’atar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups yellow or orange cherry tomatoes
1 medium onion, sliced into thin wedges
5 garlic cloves
1 large whole jalapeño, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
4 large eggs
½ cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup labaneh or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Stack pitas and slice them in half through the middle with a serrated knife, then slice crosswise into ½-inch-thick strips. In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup olive oil and za’atar and add salt and black pepper to taste. Add pita strips, toss to coat. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
Place tomatoes, onion wedges, garlic, and jalapeño on a large rimmed baking sheet, toss with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season generously with salt and black pepper. Roast until the garlic cloves are softened and golden but not burned and some tomatoes have burst, 15-20 minutes. During the last 6-7 minutes of roasting the tomatoes, add baking sheet with pita strips to the oven and toast, stirring midway. Remove both from the oven and cool slightly.
Place cooled tomato mixture in a blender and add lemon juice. Blend until smooth; season with salt and black pepper to taste. Place sauce in a 10-inch skillet; warm over medium heat until bubbling, 2-3 minutes. Drop in the pita strips and shake the skillet. Warm 3-4 minutes.
While mixture is warming, cook eggs sunny-side-up in a separate pan. Add eggs to the skillet with tomato sauce and pita; top with feta and dabs of labaneh. Garnish with cilantro and jalapeño.1