Cilbir: Turkish Eggs with Yogurt

Step 1

For the harissa chili crisp:

Step 2

Set a medium frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the cumin, coriander and caraway seeds, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind into a powder.

Step 3

Put the garlic oil in a small mixing bowl and allow it to warm to room temperature. Add the toasted spices, salt, paprika and Aleppo pepper, and briskly whisk to combine. Then stir in the sesame seeds and fried onions.

Step 4

Transfer the mixture to a container and cover with a tight-fitting lid until ready to use. Keep refrigerated for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before using.

Step 5

For the çilbur:

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Split open the pita, tear it into 1-inch pieces and scatter on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and crispy.

Step 7

Whisk the yogurt, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt in a mixing bowl and season to taste with white pepper. Continue whisking until smooth and easily spreadable. If the yogurt is too thick, whisk in 1 to 2 teaspoons of water.

Step 8

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium nonstick pan over low heat. Crack the eggs into a small bowl, then slide the eggs into the pan, increase the heat to medium-low and cook until the whites just begin to set and the yolks remain runny, about 2 minutes. Cover the pan and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit for about 3 more minutes, until the egg whites have set.

Step 9

To serve, divide the eggs among plates and spoon the yogurt around the eggs, then spoon a tablespoon or more of the chili crisp around the eggs. Top each with a few pieces of toasted pita, fresh thyme and a pinch of sumac. Season with flaky salt and serve warm.

Step 10

Text © From Zaytinya by José Andrés. Copyright © 2024 by José Andrés Media. Excerpted by permission of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.