Skip to main content

Maacouda bi Batata

This Tunisian specialty is easy to make and quite delicious.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound mealy potatoes, peeled
Salt
1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable or extra-virgin olive oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Boil the potatoes in salted water, then drain and mash them. Fry the onion in 2 tablespoons of the oil till soft and golden, stirring occasionally.

    Step 2

    Beat the eggs into the potatoes, then stir in the fried onion and the parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

    Step 3

    Heat the remaining oil in a preferably nonstick skillet and pour in the potato mixture. Cook, covered, over low heat until the bottom sets. Then put under the broiler to cook the top until firm and lightly colored.

    Step 4

    Serve hot or cold.

  2. Variations

    Step 5

    For a Persian version, kuku-ye sibzamini, use 6 chopped scallions or a bunch of chives instead of the fried onions.

    Step 6

    For a potato ojja, fry the onion till golden, add 4 peeled and chopped tomatoes and the thinly sliced potatoes, and cook until the potatoes are soft. Then stir in the lightly beaten eggs and cook until set.

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 Greek lemon potatoes and gochujang chicken stir-fry.
This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Chicken breasts reach their full potential in this spicy, saucy stir-fry with blistered green beans.
Thinly sliced and cooked hot and fast, pork tenderloin is the juicy, cook-quicking weeknight champion of this vegetable-heavy stir-fry.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Add a bag of potato chips and you've got yourself a party.
Like fattoush salad and strawberry shortcake roll.