Skip to main content

Kousa bi Gebna

This is a family dish we all loved. My mother accompanied it with yogurt. The fried onions and large amount of sharp cheese lift the usually somewhat insipid taste of zucchini.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
Salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups shredded mature cheddar cheese
White pepper
Pinch of grated nutmeg

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Fry the onion in oil till soft and golden. Poach the zucchini in salted water for a few minutes, until only just tender, and drain.

    Step 2

    In a bowl, mix the eggs and cheese, add pepper and nutmeg, and fold in the onions and zucchini.

    Step 3

    Pour into a greased ovenproof dish and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 30 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned.

    Step 4

    Serve hot or cold.

Cover of Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Easter Food, featuring a blue filigree bowl filled with Meyer lemons and sprigs of mint.
Reprinted with permission from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, copyright © 2000 by Claudia Roden, published by Knopf. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
Read More
Like airy lemon chiffon cake and a Cadbury egg–inspired tart.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Like coconut lentil soup and chicken stroganoff.
A warmly spiced Ashkenazi charoset, perfect for your Passover seder—or spooned over yogurt the next morning.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Put that half-full tub to use with recipes that go beyond the Italian American classics.
This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.
Use this classic lemon curd on scones, in yogurt, or between layers of meringue.