Ojja with OLYFO Gold EVOO

Serves 4 · Prep 10 minutes · Cook 25 minutes

Ojja is what a Tunisian kitchen makes when the peppers and tomatoes are at their best, and September is exactly that moment. It is also the clearest demonstration of how to use a good oil: most of the OLYFO Gold EVOO goes into the pan at the start and softens the peppers, and the last spoonful goes over the finished dish raw, so the fresh, peppery character is still there when you eat it. The eggs are cooked into the sauce, never served beside it.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp OLYFO Gold EVOO, divided (3 tbsp for cooking, 1 tbsp to finish)
• 4 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3 green peppers, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp harissa paste from Poppa Peppa
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground caraway
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• 4 eggs
• A small handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Crusty bread, to serve

Preparation

1. Warm 3 tbsp of OLYFO Gold EVOO in a wide pan over medium heat. Do not let it smoke.
2. Add the green peppers and garlic. Cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened but not coloured.
3. Add the tomatoes, harissa paste from Poppa Peppa, ground coriander, ground caraway and salt. Stir well.
4. Simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and glossy and the liquid has reduced.
5. Make 4 shallow wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Cover the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft.
6. Take the pan off the heat. Spoon over the remaining 1 tbsp of OLYFO Gold EVOO, scatter the parsley, and serve straight from the pan with crusty bread.