Spanish Tumbet Vegetable Stack with Fried Egg

Ingredients

• 2 medium potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 small eggplant, sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion or 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps

1. Salt the eggplant slices on both sides and leave them in a colander for 15 minutes, then pat them completely dry. This draws out water so they fry instead of steaming.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat and fry the potato slices in batches for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until tender and golden. Drain them on a rack and season with salt.
3. Fry the eggplant in the same pan, adding oil as needed, for 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned and soft, then the zucchini for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain each batch separately.
4. Frying each vegetable on its own matters: they cook at different rates, and cooking them together leaves some raw and others collapsed.
5. Pour off all but a tablespoon of oil, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and paprika off the heat for 20 seconds so the paprika does not scorch.
6. Add the crushed tomatoes, season, and simmer for 10 minutes until thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon.
7. Layer the vegetables in a dish in the traditional order, potato first, then eggplant, then zucchini, seasoning between layers, and spoon the tomato sauce over the top.
8. Fry the eggs in a clean pan until the whites are set and the yolks runny, set one on each stack, and finish with the fresh herbs and lemon wedges.

Allergen note: Contains egg.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.