Fried · Vegetable Medley

Kafteji

Photo: Sami Mlouhi / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

It's essentially fried vegetable scraps turned into one of Tunisia's most beloved sandwiches — nothing goes to waste.

Kafteji is a mound of deep-fried potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, and sometimes zucchini, all chopped together into a rough hash with a fried egg mixed in. Typically piled into a baguette sandwich or served on a plate at street stalls across Tunisia.

Why it's made this way: The dish grew out of frugal home cooking — using up whatever fried vegetables were on hand — and became a street-stall staple because it's fast, filling, and cheap to make in bulk.