Ian’s Simple Shakshuka

Serves 2

Shakshuka makes a wonderful meal at any time. Served with toasted pitta for dunking, this silky red pepper stew feels really warming and generous.

• 1 red pepper

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large white onion

• 1 fresh red chilli

• 3 garlic cloves

• Handful fresh coriander

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika

• ½ tsp ras el hanout

• 1½ tbsp tomato purée

• 1 tsp caster sugar

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 400g (14.1oz) tin chopped tomatoes

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 cinnamon stick

• Salt

For the ‘egg yolks’:

• ½ yellow pepper

• ½ tbsp plant-based mayo

• 1 heaped tsp tahini

• ½ lemon

• Salt

For the ‘egg whites’:

• 4 tbsp dairy-free yoghurt

• ½ lemon

• Salt

To serve:

• 1 spring onion

• 4 pitta breads

1 Blacken the peppers. Light your largest gas ring or preheat your grill to high. Put the red and yellow peppers directly on the flame or under the grill for 10-15 minutes, turning them every 5 minutes, until blacked on all sides. Set aside in a bowl to cool and steam with a plate over the top.

2 Cook the vegetables. Place the frying pan over a medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Peel and finely chop the onion and add it to the pan. Half the chilli, dice one half and finely slice the other. Peel and grate the garlic cloves. Add the diced chilli and garlic to the pan and stir, cooking for 5 minutes. Finely chop the coriander stems and add them to the pan, reserving the leaves. Add the oregano and the spices. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.

3 Add the tomato purée and sugar and stir for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is getting darker and sticky. Add the vinegar to the pan and let it bubble away and evaporate. Add the tinned tomatoes, bay leaves and cinnamon and a good splash of water and leave to simmer for 8-10 minutes, until thickened and combined. Lower the heat and keep warm until needed.

4 Peel the peppers. Rub the burned skin from the cooled pepper with your fingers. Seed and roughly chop the peppers. Add the red pepper to the shakshuka. Put the yellow pepper in the blender.

5 Make the ‘egg yolk’. Add the plant-based mayo and tahini to the blender with the yellow pepper. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon and season with salt. Blend to a paste.

6 Make the ‘egg white’. Put the yoghurt in a bowl. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon and season with salt. Mix to combine.

7 Finish the shakshuka. Remove the bay and cinnamon sticks from the pan. Taste the shakshuka and adjust the seasoning if necessary. If it looks dry, add a splash of water and stir it in. Make sure it’s nice and warm. Press the back of a spoon into the mixture to make 4 wells. Spoon a tablespoon of the ‘egg white’ into each well. Use a teaspoon to add a spoonful of the ‘egg yolk’ into the centre of each white.

8 Serve. Grill or toast the pittas. Scatter the reserved coriander leaves over the shakshuka. Finely slice the spring onion and scatter it over along with the sliced red chill. Serve the pittas alongside for dipping.

Recipe from BOSH! on a Budget by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby (£16.99, HQ, HarperCollins).