Shakshuka my way (Eggs and baked beans)

It's Sunday morning, and despite your best efforts to sleep in, your stomach starts rumbling. You have a dream. A dream that magically, with minimal effort, you can have an enjoyable brunch with an oozing egg, hearty beans, but also looks like you've slaved over a hot stove.

Well, you don't have to look too far.

I first had shakshuka at a little cafe, and loved how such a simple dish - a capsicum spiced tomato sauce with an egg baked into the middle - had the 'wow' factor as it was set down at the table. I decided then to figure out my favourite shakshuka base, but use it to add a twist to my Sunday morning baked beans and eggs with toast.

For the Shakshuka (serves 4)

400g tin of white beans, drained (Any will do, or you can soak dried haricot beans overnight)
400g tin of whole peeled tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper
100g capsicum, roughly diced
1 medium brown onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Sweat the garlic and onion in a little oil till translucent, then add the capsicum and give it a quick fry, and add the tumeric and cayenne pepper. Then add the tomato paste and cook for a minute or two. Then add the whole can of tinned tomatoes, and cook till tomatoes break down. Add your beans and simmer till tender. If you are using tinned beans, then just simmer for 5 minutes.

Now I usually make this in huge batches and freeze them in portions. When Saturday rolls around, I just pull out a portion and defrost it overnight in the fridge.

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For the Eggs and Beans

1 portion of Shakshuka mixture
1 egg per person
Chopped parsley, to garnish
Turkish bread, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180C. Split the baked beans up into individual clay/cast iron dishes. Place the baked beans into the oven till they are hot and bubbling. You can take this time to read the paper, take a shower...just chill out. When the beans are hot, simply make a little well with the back of a spoon, and crack the egg into the well.

Put the dishes back into the oven with the turkish bread on the side and bake till the eggs are to your desired done-ness. I like the yolk oozy, so I take them out when there's just a bit of a wobble left, and let the residual heat work its magic.



Sure it's a bit involved, but with a small amount of prep (you don't have to baby it while it's simmering) you have an easy yet and impressive brunch.



What is your favourite brunch recipe?