Ottolenghi - Shakshuka

Ingredients

• 800 g tomatoes, 5 large, very ripe tomatoes, chopped (or canned)
• 2 red peppers, large (about 300 g total), diced into 0.5 cm pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 6 eggs, medium size, free-range
• 120 g Greek yogurt or labneh, to serve alongside
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.75 tsp salt, plus extra to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp harissa paste or pilpelchuma — spicy. Use less for children or replace with sweet paprika powder (see tips)
• 2 tsp tomato paste

Method

1. Softening the peppers: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the harissa, tomato paste, red peppers, garlic, cumin, and 3/4 tsp salt. Cook on moderate heat until the peppers are soft.
2. Reducing the tomato sauce: Add the tomatoes, bring to a gentle simmer, and let cook until the sauce thickens nicely. Adjust seasoning with salt.
3. Poaching the eggs: Make 6 small wells in the sauce and crack one egg into each well. Use a fork to gently stir the egg whites into the sauce a little, but keep the yolks intact. Let simmer gently until the egg whites are set and the yolks remain runny. Covering the pan helps it cook faster.
4. Resting and serving: Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes. Serve on plates topped with a generous spoonful of labneh or thick yogurt.