Bauernfrühstück (Farmer’s breakfast) is a German country breakfast dish made from fried potatoes, eggs, onions, leeks or chives, and bacon or ham. It is similar to the somewhat simpler English bubble and squeak. The ingredients are mixed in a pan and fried as an omelette. It is usually accompanied by a tomato salad or pickles. An urban Berlin version is called “Hoppelpoppel”.
Ingredients:
3 large potatoes, skinned and quartered lengthwise
3 tbsp bacon fat or olive oil
2 cups roughly chopped green and white onions (include the greens from the green onions)
2 cups roughly chopped bell peppers
1-2 cups chopped ham
1/4 cup chopped parsley
4 eggs, whisked
salt to taste
Preparation:
- Boil the potatoes in a saucepan of lightly salted water for 10-15 minutes until just cooked (test for doneness). Drain, rinse with cold water to cool. Cut into 1-inch squares. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp bacon fat (or olive oil) in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the onions and chopped bell peppers. Increase the heat to high. Brown the onions and bell peppers, stirring frequently, about 2-3 minutes.
- Push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the potatoes and another tbsp of bacon fat (or olive oil) to the pan. Brown the potatoes for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle on salt to taste as you cook. Add the ham to the potatoes and cook, stirring frequently until the ham is heated through, 1-2 minutes.
- Mix all of the vegetables, potato and ham together and mix in the parsley. Add the eggs, stirring to distribute the eggs among the vegetables and ham. As soon as eggs begin to firm up, remove from heat.
