Tomato Cuajado

By the Sephardic Spice Girls

A cuajado (pronounced qua’shado) is sort of a creamy, veggie-filled crustless quiche.

A centerpiece of the Eastern Mediterranean Sephardic kitchen, tomato cuajado has a wonderfully intense flavor and a comforting mouth feel. A nutritious dish that is easy to prepare ahead of time, cuajado is festive and sure to please your guests.

Tomato Cuajado
Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
5 medium tomatoes, diced
3 14oz cans diced tomatoes, strained
1 teaspoon sugar
9 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 thick slices of challah (cut into bite size pieces) *Note: For Passover, replace with 2 cups matzahfarfel
1 8oz container feta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese (optional)
1 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 egg, whisked for egg wash

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. In a saucepan, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add tomatoes and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
3. Add the canned tomatoes and sugar and simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the challah, Parmesan, Romano and Feta cheeses, tomatoes and parsley.
5. Gently combine all the ingredients.
6. Grease an ovenproof dish with remaining olive oil and heat dish in the oven for 10 minutes. Pour the egg and tomato mixture into the warm dish.
7. Spread the egg wash on top of the mixture.
8. Place cuajado on the middle rack of the oven. Bake 30-40 minutes, until cuajado is golden brown on top and firm in the center.

Notes
Warming the baking dish in the oven guarantees a crunchy crust. Cuajado leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week, and reheated in an oven warmed to 350°F.

The Sephardic Spice Girls, Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff, have been friends since high school. The Sephardic Spice Girls project has grown from their collaboration on events for the Sephardic Educational Center in Jerusalem. Visit sephardicspicegirls.com to see more of their Sephardic recipes with a modern twist!

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