40 min
Spiced North African-Style Eggs with Homemade Flatbreads
Recipe GLPRbc18f3d220f039
A vibrant vegetarian main course featuring soft-cooked eggs nestled in a rich, spiced tomato sauce alongside warm, charred flatbreads. Homemade dough is rolled and cooked until lightly puffed, then served alongside the egg dish topped with crumbly feta cheese. Perfect for a comforting dinner with bold North African flavors.
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Ingredients
250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper (any color), deseeded and sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red chilli flakes
2 cans (400g each) chopped tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 eggs
100g crumbled feta cheese or Greek-style cheese
Directions
Prepare the flatbread dough: Sift the flour and a generous pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Create a well in the center of the flour and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix the oil into the flour, then gradually add 100–150ml of warm water, stirring until the mixture comes together to form a shaggy dough.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 3–4 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic, springing back slightly when pressed. Set the dough aside to rest.
Begin the sauce: Heat a wide, heavy-based pan over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt and fry gently until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the sliced bell pepper to the pan, cover with a lid, and continue cooking gently for approximately 5 minutes until the pepper softens.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the crushed chilli flakes over the mixture and pour in the canned chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes rich and deeply flavored. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
While the sauce simmers, divide the rested flatbread dough into 8 equal portions and shape each into a ball. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each ball out to approximately the thickness of a coin, forming a flatbread about 12cm in diameter.
Heat a heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Working in batches, cook each flatbread in the dry pan for 2–3 minutes per side until slightly charred, cooked through, and lightly puffed. Transfer cooked flatbreads to a plate and wrap in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
Make six shallow wells in the simmering tomato sauce, spacing them evenly. Carefully crack one egg into each well, keeping the yolks intact.
Cover the pan and cook gently over low heat for 3–4 minutes until the egg whites are set. If you prefer firmer yolks, cook for an additional 2–3 minutes. The eggs are done when the whites reach 160F internal temperature.
Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese over the top of the cooked eggs and sauce. Serve immediately with the warm flatbreads on the side.
