Supreme Breakfast Recipe

Prepare cheeses and spreads

Place shredded kaşar cheese and crumbled feta each in small serving bowls. Spoon labneh into a shallow dish, smooth the top with the back of a spoon, drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil (from egg section) and sprinkle 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper over it. Leave butter at room temperature on a small plate for spreading.

Make menemen-style scrambled eggs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the diced green pepper and continue to cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the diced tomatoes, smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until tomatoes have broken down and released juices, about 6 minutes. Create a shallow well in the vegetables, crack the eggs into the well (or whisk them first and pour in), season with remaining salt and pepper, and gently stir to combine with the vegetables. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are softly set but still moist, 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm in the skillet; transfer to a warmed serving dish if desired.

Sear sucuk and arrange olives

Heat a separate small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sucuk in a single layer and sear without added oil for 1–2 minutes per side until slightly crisp at the edges. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Place mixed olives in a small bowl and toss with a drizzle (about 1 tsp) of olive oil and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

Prepare fresh vegetables and preserves

Halve the cherry tomatoes and place in a serving bowl; season with a pinch of salt and a few turns of black pepper and toss with remaining chopped parsley. Slice the cucumber and arrange on a platter. Place jam in a small bowl and honey in another bowl with a drizzle spoon. Garnish jam with a sprig of mint for presentation.

Warm and serve breads

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Wrap simit or sesame bagels in foil and warm in the oven for 5–7 minutes, or toast slices of country bread until crisp. Arrange warm breads on a board or basket with the softened butter and plates of cheeses, labneh, jam and honey nearby so guests can assemble.

Assemble the breakfast spread: place the skillet of menemen (eggs) centrally, surround with bowls of kaşar, feta, labneh, sucuk, olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, jam and honey. Scatter fresh mint leaves over the tomatoes and cheese plates. Offer lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over cucumber or eggs, and sprinkle Aleppo pepper for those who want extra heat.