Shakshuka

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 red peppers, cut into long slices
2 green peppers, cut into long slices
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp tomato or red pepper purée
2 x 400g tins tomatoes
1 small bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1 small bunch fresh parsley, roughly chopped
8 free-range eggs
85g/3oz feta, crumbled
8 tbsp thick natural yoghurt or labneh
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, lidded frying pan. Add the onions and peppers and season with salt and pepper. Cook on a medium heat until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the cumin and caraway seeds and the cayenne pepper. Stir in the tomato or red pepper purée and cook for a couple more minutes until the paste starts to separate. Add the tomatoes with a splash of water.
2. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, until reduced a little. Taste after 5 minutes and add a little sugar if you think the tomatoes need it. Keep an eye on the texture – you don’t want it runny, but it mustn’t get too dry, either. Add another splash of water if necessary. When the sauce is reduced, stir in the herbs.
3. Make 8 small wells in the sauce. Break an egg into a cup and drop carefully into a well, repeat with the remaining eggs. Cook for a few more minutes until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny. Sprinkle over the crumbled feta. Serve with yogurt or labneh on the side.