Tunisian baked eggs (shakshuka)

Nestled in an aromatic, slightly spicy tomato and capsicum sauce and topped with tangy yoghurt, these baked eggs, originally from Tunisia, make for a wonderful centre-of-the-table brunch dish. Serve with pita bread and let everyone help themselves.

Credit: Alan Benson

• serves

  6

• prep

  35 minutes

• cook

  17 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 red capsicums, deseeded, cut into thin strips
• 1 red onion, halved, sliced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 x 400 g cans diced tomatoes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 eggs
• 200 g Greek-style natural yoghurt, to serve
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup coriander leaves, to serve
• pita bread, to serve

Instructions

Preheat oven to 220ºC (200ºC fan-forced). Heat the oil in a medium frying pan or saucepan and cook the capsicum and onion over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until tender. Add the cumin and chilli flakes and cook for a further 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until reduced to a good sauce consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the sauce over the base of a shallow 1.5 litre capacity (6 cup) ovenproof dish. Use the back of a spoon to make 6 indents in the sauce. Crack the eggs, one at a time, into a small dish and then gently slide into the indents, taking care not to break the yolks. Combine the yoghurt, garlic and lemon juice and spoon half of this mixture around the eggs, in about 6 spoonfuls. Reserve the remaining yoghurt mixture for serving.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the eggs are just cooked but still soft in the centre. Serve immediately sprinkled with pepper and coriander, and accompanied by the reserved yoghurt mixture and pita bread.

Baker’s tips

• These baked eggs can also be baked in 6 individual 185 ml (¾ cup) ovenproof dishes or ramekins. Divide the sauce between the dishes, make an indent in each and add an egg. Top with a spoonful of yoghurt and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the eggs are just cooked but still soft in the centre.

Anneka's mission is to connect home cooks with the magic of baking, and through this, with those they love. Read our interview with her or for hands-on baking classes and baking tips, visit her at BakeClub. Don't miss what's coming out of her oven via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Sarah O’Brien. Food preparation by Kerrie Ray. Creative concept by Lou Fay.

For more recipes, view our online column, Bakeproof.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.