This is the type vegetarian of dish you find in so many Mediterranean cuisines, from the Spanish tortilla to the Italian frittata, the Egyptian marcoude de pommes de terre, or the Tunisian ma’akouda. The Tunisian version is the best known in Israel, where the potatoes and onions are deep-fried until cooked through.

In my Savta’s version, she boiled the potatoes but didn’t mash them. In this updated version, I’ve kept her boiled potatoes and sautéed onions, but added ras el hanut to bring the scent of North Africa to the basic ingredients of potatoes, onions, and eggs.

Read to the end for a smaller stovetop version of this dish.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 kilo (2.2 pounds) potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 2 large red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ras el hanut
• 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 8 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

METHOD:

1. Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a pot of cold salted water and bring to a boil. Let boil until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Drain and set aside.
2. Sauté the onions. In a 25–30 cm (10–12 inch) oven-safe frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions and sauté until soft and beginning to caramelise, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the garlic and spices. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Turn off the heat, then stir in the ras el hanut, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
4. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
5. Beat the eggs. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, parsley, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
6. Combine everything. Add the drained potatoes and the onion mixture to the eggs, and mix well to combine, breaking up any clumps of onion.
7. Prepare the pan. In the now-empty frying pan, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, pour the potato-egg mixture into the pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 5–10 minutes, until the bottom starts to set but the top is still liquid.
8. Bake. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the top is set, about 20–30 minutes.
9. Serve. Let cool slightly, then slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

To make a smaller stovetop version:

1. Halve all the ingredients above, but use the same size frying pan.
2. Follow the instructions through step 6.
3. Cook on the stove. Lower the heat and cook until the top is just set, about 15 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning the bottom.
4. Flip and finish. Slide the marcoude onto a plate, invert with a second plate, and return it to the pan with the cooked side up. Cook for a further 5 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown.

MAKE AHEAD:

The marcoude can be made up to 3 days in advance. Once cooked, allow it to cool completely, then wrap tightly in foil or place in an airtight container and refrigerate. To serve, bring to room temperature or reheat in a low oven (150°C / 300°F) until warmed through.

The smaller stovetop version can be reheated in a frying pan over low heat, flipping once to warm both sides evenly.