Shakshuka with Red Peppers and Feta

Ingredients

• Tomato and pepper sauce

  20 g olive oil

  all retained in the sauce

• 150 g yellow onion

  peeled and finely chopped

• 300 g red bell pepper

  raw weight after removing stems and seeds; thin short strips

• 10 g garlic

  peeled and finely chopped

• 4 g sweet paprika

  pure ground paprika, not smoked or a spice blend

• 2 g ground cumin

  pure cumin

• 1 g black pepper

  freshly ground

• 800 g no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes

  all tomatoes and juice; not seasoned tomato sauce

• 3 g fine table salt

  total added salt

• Eggs and finish

  200 g whole eggs

  without shells, about 4 large eggs; keep each egg intact

• 80 g feta cheese

  made from pasteurized milk; crumbled

• 10 g fresh flat-leaf parsley

  leaves and tender stems, chopped

Directions

1. Soften the onion and red peppers

   Heat 20 g olive oil in a wide deep 28 cm frying pan over medium heat. Add 150 g onion and all 300 g red pepper strips. Cook for about 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the onion is translucent and the peppers have softened. Reduce the heat if the edges begin to scorch.

2. Simmer the paprika and cumin tomato sauce

   Lower the heat and add 10 g garlic, 4 g sweet paprika, 2 g cumin and 1 g black pepper. Stir for 30 seconds without scorching the spices. Add all 800 g tomatoes and juice, plus 3 g salt. Simmer uncovered for about 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to hold a shallow well but still moist. If it spits, lower the heat. Do not reduce it to a dry paste.

3. Cook four eggs in the sauce until firm

   Make four shallow wells in the gently simmering sauce. Crack each egg into a small clean bowl first, then carefully slide one into each well; use all four eggs, about 200 g without shells. Wash hands and utensils after handling raw eggs. Cover with a fitted lid and cook over low heat for about 10–14 minutes, checking regularly, until both whites and yolks are firm. Check the centre of the eggs with a thin-probe thermometer without touching the hot pan: the egg dish must reach at least 160°F (71°C). Continue cooking if needed. This version does not serve runny or undercooked eggs.

4. Finish with feta and parsley

   Take the pan off the heat once the eggs are cooked. Scatter all 80 g crumbled pasteurized-milk feta and 10 g parsley over the sauce around the eggs. Serve promptly, giving each of four people one egg, one quarter of the sauce and 20 g feta. Bread, extra cheese and other sides are optional and are outside the listed quantities and nutrition.