Ojja bel Merguez (Tunisian Eggs with Merguez and Peppers)

Ojja is Tunisia’s answer to shakshuka — merguez sausage and peppers simmered in a spicy tomato sauce, then eggs cracked in to poach right on top. It’s a lively, one-pan start to the day.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 merguez sausages, sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground caraway
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon harissa paste, or to taste
• 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 4 eggs
• Salt, to taste
• Chopped parsley, for serving

Instructions

1. Brown the merguez
   Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the merguez slices and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Soften the vegetables
   In the same skillet, add onion and bell pepper. Cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic, caraway, paprika, and harissa, and cook 1 minute more.
3. Simmer the sauce
   Pour in the crushed tomatoes, season with salt, and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Return the merguez to the pan.
4. Poach the eggs
   Make four small wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the whites are set but yolks are still runny.
5. Finish and serve
   Scatter with parsley and serve straight from the pan with crusty bread.

Mop up every bit of sauce with warm bread — that’s the whole point.