A Jordanian breakfast is not a plated dish. It is a spread that lands on the table all at once, and everyone reaches across it. Here is how to put one together.
The non-negotiables
- Labneh in a shallow bowl, a well pressed into the middle, good olive oil poured in, za’atar over the top.
- Nabulsi cheese, sliced. Fried if you have ten minutes, plain if you do not.
- Bread — flatbread, warm, and more than you think you need.
- Olives, tomatoes, cucumber. Sliced thick, not arranged.
- Sweet tea, poured strong, with mint if you have it.
Additions, if the occasion warrants
Labneh in oil straight from the jar. A dish of samneh for the bread. Boiled eggs. Fresh mint. Hummus or foul if the morning is a slow one.
The part that matters
Everything goes down together, in its own dish, and nobody gets a portion. The point of this breakfast is that it takes an hour to eat and holds people at the table — which is the thing worth importing along with the recipes.
