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1
Prepare the piperade by first heating the 4 tablespoons of fat of your choice in a heavy 8-inch frying pan or, better still, in a small oval copper or enamel pan that you can bring to the table.
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2
Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook them for about 5 minutes over moderate heat, stirring them frequently until they are soft but not brown.
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3
Stir in the pepper strips, turning them in the fat now and then, letting them cook for about 10 minutes, at which point they should be tender but still crisp.
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4
Drain the chopped tomatoes thoroughly and add them to the pan, sprinkling in at the same time the dried or fresh basil and the pepper flakes or hot pepper sauce.
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5
Raise the heat and cook the tomatoes briskly for a few minutes and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until all their moisture has evaporated.
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6
Be careful that the piperade doesn't burn.
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7
Put it aside until you are ready to reheat and serve it.
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8
At that point, combine 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in an 8-inch heavy frying pan, and over moderate heat, cook the julienned ham for a few minutes until the strips are thoroughly heated through.
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9
Remove them at once with a slotted spoon and spread them out on paper toweling to drain.
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10
Meanwhile let the fat in the frying pan cool to lukewarm before pouring it into the eggs, lightly beaten with salt and pepper.
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11
Over low heat, stir the eggs with a rubber spatula until they begin to form soft, creamy curds.
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12
Remove them from the heat when they are not quite set and gently spread them over the reheated piperade.
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13
Let some of the colorful vegetables show through.
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14
Lightly scatter the ham on top, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and/or chopped chives, and serve at once.
