Eggs poached in spiced tomatoes – simple, comforting dish for any meal of the day.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1/2 – 1 chile pepper (optional), stemmed, sliced in half and seeded, finely diced/minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika, smoked or sweet
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 pounds (1kg) ripe tomatoes, cored and diced, or two 14-ounce cans of diced or crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed
- 3 cups loosely packed spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 4 to 6 eggs
1. In a wide skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and wilted. Add the chile pepper, the salt, pepper, and spices. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly, to release their fragrance.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, chickpeas, and lemon juice, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir in the chopped spinach.
3. With the back of a spoon, make indentations in the sauce. Crack an egg into each divot, being careful not to disturb the yolks.
4. Turn the heat back on so the sauce is at a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes, or, until the eggs are cooked to your preference.
Top with crumbled feta and serve with lots of crusty bread for scraping up the sauce.
Adapted from Shiksa in the Kitchen.