Bloody Eyeball Shakshuka: Spicy Tunisian Tomato-Poached Eggs with Olive Pupils

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and lightly golden.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon harissa paste (or more to taste)
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 6 large eggs
• 6 pitted black olives, halved crosswise
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish
• Warm crusty bread or pita, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
2. Stir in the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and harissa paste. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, add the sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and darkens to a deep blood red.
4. Use the back of a spoon to make 6 wells in the sauce. Crack one egg into each well. Season the eggs lightly with salt.
5. Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until the whites are just set but the yolks are still runny.
6. Place an olive half, cut side up, in the center of each yolk to create a staring black pupil. Drizzle a thin trail of the red sauce across each white for bloodshot veins.
7. Scatter the feta and chopped herbs around the eyeballs, then bring the skillet straight to the table with warm bread for dipping.
8. Shakshuka means 'all mixed up' in Tunisian Arabic, and this one-pan dish of eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce is beloved across North Africa and the Middle East. The fiery harissa and smoky paprika base is traditional, while the olive pupils turn an everyday brunch into a deliciously creepy Halloween breakfast that is easier to make than it looks.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 285 kcal
• Protein: 14g
• Fat: 18g
• Carbohydrates: 17g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 10g
• Sodium: 720mg