Turkish Menemen Scrambled Eggs with Roasted Peppers, Tomatoes and Crumbled Feta

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 long red Turkish pepper (or cubanelle), diced
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced (or 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes)
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (pul biber if available)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• For serving:
• 60g crumbled feta cheese
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Crusty bread or simit for dipping

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to turn golden at the edges.
2. Add the green bell pepper and Turkish pepper. Cook another 4-5 minutes until they are soft and fragrant. Season with paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes — let the spices toast in the oil for 30 seconds.
3. Add the diced tomatoes. Stir well to combine, then cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down into a thick, jammy sauce. The mixture should be concentrated, not watery — this is the flavor foundation of the dish.
4. Reduce heat to low. Make 4 small wells in the tomato mixture. Crack one egg into each well. Season the eggs with salt and pepper.
5. Now comes the debate: traditional menemen is made with gently folded, softly scrambled eggs — not fully set, still creamy and custardy. Stir the eggs very gently with a spatula, folding them into the tomato mixture in slow, wide strokes. Stop when the eggs are just set but still glossy and slightly runny.
6. Remove from heat immediately — residual heat will finish cooking them.
7. Scatter crumbled feta generously over the top. It will soften slightly from the heat but should stay in distinct chunks. Add a handful of fresh parsley.
8. Serve straight from the pan with plenty of crusty bread. Menemen is Turkey's beloved weekend breakfast — communal, messy, and deeply satisfying.