Lunch: Shakshuka With Red Peppers and Cumin

Recipe by /contributors/yotam-ottolenghi Shakshuka is Tunisian in origin but has become hugely popular in Jerusalem and all over Israel as substantial breakfast or lunch fare. Tunisian cuisine has a passionate love affair with eggs and this particular ve

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Pilpelchuma or harissa
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 large red peppers, cut into 1/4-inch / 0.5cm dice (2 cups / 300 g in total)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
5 large, very ripe tomatoes, chopped (5 cups / 800 g in total); canned are also fine
4 large free-range eggs, plus 4 egg yolks
1/2 cup / 120 g labneh or thick yogurt
Salt

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the pilpelchuma or harissa, tomato paste, peppers, garlic, cumin, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes to allow the peppers to soften. Add the tomatoes, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for a further 10 minutes until you have quite a thick sauce. Taste for seasoning.
Make 8 little dips in the sauce. Gently break the eggs and carefully pour each into its own dip. Do the same with the yolks. Use a fork to swirl the egg whites a little bit with the sauce, taking care not to break the yolks. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny (you can cover the pan with a lid if you wish to hasten the process). Remove from the heat, leave for a couple of minutes to settle, then spoon into individual plates and serve with the labneh or yogurt.