Shakshuka-style eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce

Sweet peppers and tomatoes simmered with smoked paprika, cumin and harissa, with eggs cracked in to poach until just set — North African / Middle Eastern brunch icon.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 yellow pepper, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp harissa (or 1/2 tsp chilli flakes)
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 800 g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 red chilli, sliced (optional)
• 4-6 large eggs
• 100 g feta, crumbled
• A handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and black pepper
• To serve: crusty bread or pitta

Method

1. Soften the base. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan (with a lid) over medium heat. Cook the onion and peppers for 10 minutes until soft and starting to caramelise.

2. Bloom the spices. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander and harissa and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato purée.

3. Build the sauce. Add the tinned tomatoes and chilli (if using). Simmer for 8-10 minutes until thick. Season.

4. Crack in the eggs. Make wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

5. Finish. Scatter feta and parsley over the top. Serve straight from the pan with bread.

Notes

Shakshuka means ‘a mixture’ in Tunisian Arabic. The dish is also claimed by Israel, Libya, Algeria and Morocco — all do it slightly differently.