Tunisian Eggs with Red Peppers

10:50 pm on 21 August 2009

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

This is a great brunch dish served with plenty of crusty bread.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsps olive oil
  • 2 red peppers, halved, cored, seeds removed, and sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon harissa, optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 medium vine tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, drained and chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 medium (size 6) free-range eggs

Method

1. Heat oil in a large frying non-stick pan over medium heat, add peppers and cook for about 10 minutes, until wilted. Add garlic, harissa if using and ground cumin and cook 1 minute, then add tomatoes and olives. Cook for 3-5 minutes more, until tomatoes have wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste (if you have used harissa you won't need any pepper).

2. Make 4 indentations in the pepper and tomato stew. Break the eggs one at a time into a cup and lower them into the hollows. Season with a few pinches of salt and cover pan with a lid. Cook for several minutes until the egg whites are set but the yolks are not yet firm, or until the eggs are cooked the way you like them.

3. Take to the table in the pan and serve immediately.