Shakshuka with Feta

Ingredients

• 20 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• 50 g Kalamata olives, pitted
• 120 g Greek feta, crumbled into large chunks
• 4 eggs
• ¼ tsp salt, to taste
• 1 handful fresh parsley or oregano

Method

1. 1

   Preheat oven and prepare ingredients

   Preheat your oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan). Finely dice the onion and red pepper, and thinly slice the garlic. Have an ovenproof frying pan (approx. 24–26 cm) ready. If your pan is not ovenproof, you can transfer the sauce to a shallow baking dish before baking.

2. 2

   Soften the vegetables

   Heat 20 ml olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper and fry gently for 7–8 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Do not let the edges burn.

3. 3

   Bloom the herbs and spices

   Add the garlic, dried oregano, sweet paprika, ground cumin and optional chilli flakes. Stir continuously for 30 seconds to release the fragrant essential oils in the warm olive oil.

4. 4

   Simmer sauce with Kalamata olives

   Pour in the chopped tomatoes with their juice, salt, and the pitted Kalamata olives. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces into a rich, thick consistency.

5. 5

   Add eggs and arrange feta

   Make four indentations in the sauce with a spoon. Gently crack an egg into each well. Scatter the generous chunks of Greek feta all over the sauce and around the eggs. The feta should remain in distinct pieces rather than stirred in.

6. 6

   Bake in the oven and serve

   Carefully transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Bake uncovered at 200 °C for 8–10 minutes, until the egg whites are fully set and opaque, the yolks remain soft and runny, and the feta has softened with slight golden browning. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve immediately with crusty bread.