Shakshouka

With some spare sweet peppers in the fridge and wanting something more substantial than a pepperonata I decided to try this North African pepper and tomato stew topped with eggs.

Ingredients

400g tomatoes, tinned

4 eggs

2 peppers (red/yellow), de seeded and diced

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 green chilli

1 garlic, whole bulb, cloves crushed

1 tablespoon harissa

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp fresh thyme

1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

4 tablespoon olive oil

Method

In a large frying pan heat the olive oil on a medium heat and fry the cumin seeds for a minute until they begin give off their fragrant oils. Add the garlic and onion and cook until soft but not brown. Add the cumin and fry for a further minute or two.

Then add the peppers, chilli, tomatoes and Harissa paste. Add salt to taste.  Add the bay leaf and fresh thyme and turn up the heat.

Once the consistency has thickened add the eggs into four evenly spaced pockets. Turn down the heat and place a lid onto the pan. The eggs will slowly poach. It will take about 10 minutes for the egg white to cook and the yolk to remain runny.

Serve immediately.