Scrambled eggs

The earliest documented recipe for scrambled eggs was in the 14th-century Italian cookbook Libro della cucina. ==Preparation==

Only eggs are necessary to make scrambled eggs, but salt & pepper, butter, milk, water, chives, cream, crème fraîche, sour cream, grated cheese, and other ingredients may be added as recipes vary. The eggs are cracked into a bowl with salt and pepper, and the mixture is stirred or whisked. Alternatively, the eggs are cracked directly into a hot pan or skillet, and the whites and yolks stirred together as they cook. In Food in England (1954) Dorothy Hartley comments, "There are two main schools: one (which I believe to be correct) breaks in the eggs direct, so that particles of clear white and clear yellow remain in the creamy mass. The other school beats the eggs together first, maintaining it gives a smoother texture". Elizabeth David (1960) takes the latter view: "For scrambled eggs, unlike those for an omelette, the eggs should be very well beaten". The mixture can be poured into a hot pan containing melted butter or oil, where it starts coagulating. The heat is turned down and the eggs are stirred as they cook. This creates small, soft curds of egg. A thin pan is preferable to prevent browning. With continuous stirring, and not allowing the eggs to stick to the pan, the eggs themselves will maintain the pan temperature at about the boiling point of water, until they coagulate. In their Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961), Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle and Julia Child write, "Scrambled eggs in French style are creamy soft curds that just hold their shape from fork to mouth. Their preparation is entirely a matter of stirring the eggs over gentle heat until they slowly thicken as a mass into a custard." Alternatively, Escoffier describes using a double boiler and can also be prepared using sous-vide cooking, which gives the traditional smooth creamy texture and requires only occasionally mixing during cooking. ==Variations==

Britain , a British dish of scrambled eggs and anchovy paste on toast • In British style, the scrambled eggs are stirred thoroughly during cooking to give a soft, fine texture. additional butter is melted and stirred into the egg mixture before cooking. • Scotch woodcock – British variant of scrambled eggs, served over toast that has been spread with Gentleman's Relish. France • There are more than a hundred variants of scrambled eggs (œufs brouillés) in French cuisine. Among the favoured additions are asparagus tips, crayfish, truffles, ham and mushrooms. Italy An Italian version of scrambled eggs: Uova stracciate al formaggio. In addition to the eggs and butter, cream is added, and when the eggs are cooked, grated Parmesan cheese is sprinkled on the top. Nigeria • The dish is called "fried eggs" in Nigeria. The mai shai stalls cook scrambled eggs to the point of being heavily crisp. Philippines , a scrambled egg dish with grilled eggplants, tomatoes, shallots, and garlic, from the Philippines • Poqui poqui – a Filipino dish consisting of grilled eggplants with sauteed garlic, tomatoes, and shallots and scrambled eggs. South America • Parrot eggs ("Perico" in Spanish) is a dish in Venezuelan cuisine and Colombian cuisine prepared with scrambled eggs, butter, sautéed diced onions, and tomatoes. White cheese is also sometimes used. Syria • Jaz maz [جظ مظ] – a Syrian variant of scrambled eggs made by first frying chopped tomatoes and onions in oil, butter or ghee. After frying the vegetables, eggs and spices (usually salt, pepper, red pepper powder, and sometimes the spice mix 'sabaa baharat') are added. It is eaten with the traditional Syrian bread khubz. It is typically eaten as breakfast, but can be a lunch or dinner dish too. United States • Eggs frizzle – scrambled egg dish made with chipped beef "frizzled" in butter before eggs are added to the pan and scrambled. To make a variation called "Eggs a la Caracas" the beef is frizzled with tomatoes, spices, and grated cheese. • In American style, the eggs are scooped in towards the middle of the pan as they set, giving larger curds. ==See also==