Fata is a dish popular in Eritrea made with a spicy tomato sauce served over chunks of crusty bread. It is a spectacular snack or vegetarian lunch with loads of flavor.
In a medium pan, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, berbere, and water and heat, uncovered, until the tomatoes break down, about 7 minutes.
Put 3 pieces of bread in each bowl. Then, layer with spoonfuls of sauce, jalapeños and greek yogurt. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.
Vegetable Oil: You can also use canola oil, sunflower oil, or even olive oil (though the last one would be slightly less authentic)
Vegetables: Red onion, garlic, tomatoes, jalapeño, tomato pasta
Spices: Berbere spice blend
Crusty Bread: I purchased this from the bakery section at my local grocery store. You can use French bread, but I used a larger loaf. Anything with a flaky crust will be a great option.
Greek Yogurt: I used full fat, plain Greek yogurt.
Make sure to mince your tomato and onion very finely.
If you want the tomato sauce to be less spicy, you can add less berbere. Alternatively, you can sprinkle with some cinnamon, paprika, nutmeg, and cumin, and omit the cayenne altogether.
If you want, you can sprinkle additional toppings on top, like raw onions, cilantro, or anything else that sounds yummy!
Though it’s not traditional, the spicy tomato sauce would make a great tomato sauce for pasta or a sauce for rice if you so desire.