Appetizers, Egg Dishes, and Condiments

In North Africa and the Middle East, the meal begins with an assortment of small plates called mezze. also called kemia in Algeria or aadu in Tunisia. There are always some salads, a bowl of olives, and spreads such as hummus or eggplant. Warm tidbits such as falafel or bestels are often added to the room-temperature dishes.

While in Spain the tortilla, or omelet, has become an integral part of the tapas assortment, among Sephardic Jews of the Southern Mediterranean it is eaten as lunch or a light supper. It might be made more substantial with potatoes or chickpeas, or matzoh during Passover. The most festive omelet for holidays, the megtiina, is made with brains, or sometimes brains and eggs, or sometimes brains and chicken or meat. To stretch a vegetable dish, eggs might be poached on top or scrambled in. This egga. or ojja, is occasionally enriched with mergnez. a spicy beef sausage. The pantry is stocked with fragrant spices from the spice market, preserved lemons, and condiments such as harissa to add heat to milder dishes and to create some of the signature flavors of this vibrant cuisine.