Within every culture, there is always one celebrated breakfast dish that could easily represent all the rest without debate. For many Armenians it is the Basturma Omelette - a family tradition and favorite.

A part of Armenian cuisine for centuries, the Basturma is air-dried cured beef that is seasoned with a paste of cumin, garlic, paprika and fenugreek. In Armenian culture the Basturma is thinly cut and served as a cold appetizer, or scrambled with eggs for breakfast.

A recipe for the traditional Basturma Omelette is very simple. Grease a skillet with butter, add slices of Basturma and fry until the edges of Basturma are crispy. Add beaten eggs to skillet, and stir until eggs are done. Just remember, that the Basturma itself is pretty salty, so be sure to add only a very small amount of salt. Add ground black pepper, fresh herbs to taste (basil, parsley or coriander) and you're good to go!

A freshly cut cucumber and tomatoes go really well with this dish. You can even wrap the egg up Basturma in Lavash for the Armenian version of the breakfast burrito.

The delicious taste the Basturma adds to the eggs is hard to resist or forget. It’s so light it melts in the mouth, and you can’t help but devour more of it. It’s that kind of food you never get full of. This dish is great also for a brunch, a light lunch, or supper with flatbread aside.

To learn more about Armenia's food & drink, please visit our ARMENIAN CUISINE page