Eggah, Kookoo, and Naked Pies

The Arab eggah and the Persian kookoo (kuku or kukuye) are often likened to the Italian frittata. But they are very different: As much as I love a frittata, both eggah and kookoo are more complex than Italian open-faced omelets; they have no cheese and use just enough egg to bind the vegetables.

There are as many different versions of kookoo as there are cooks. One of the most common is the dark green kookoo-ye sabzi, the traditional Iranian New Year’s Day dish. The richly flavored Kookoo Bademjan (with eggplants) is my favorite, and I suggest you try my variations, the Green Bean Kookoo and the Cauliflower Kookoo, which will help you take a fresh look at some of your kitchen staples.