Basque-style shakshuka

For a Basque-style breakfast, this egg-cellent way to start the day blends influences from Spanish, Arabic and Basque flavours. It's a great way to break your fast, no matter where you are in the world.

Credit: Craig Kinder

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 red capsicums, roasted, peeled, thinly sliced (see Note)
• 2 yellow capsicums, roasted, peeled, thinly sliced (see Note)
• 2 green capsicums, roasted, peeled, thinly sliced (see Note)
• 2 red onions, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 100 g baby spinach leaves
• 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• Salt, to taste
• 4 eggs
• Espelette pepper, to taste
• 100 g Ossau-Iraty cheese, grated (see Note)
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped basil leaves
• Fresh bread or toasted bread to serve, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced).
   
2. Heat the olive oil in a 28 cm heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the capsicum strips and sauté. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, baby spinach leaves and sauté for a few minutes further.
   
3. Stir through the chopped tomatoes, followed by the red wine vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt.
   
4. Create four small wells in the tomato mixture and carefully crack one egg into each well. Sprinkle with salt and espelette pepper, then sprinkle over the cheese.
   
5. Bake for 7 minutes, or until the eggs are just set. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the Basque-style shakshuka with basil and serve.

Note

• Roasted capsicum is available from most retailers, although often only red capsicum is used. Allow extra time to make this recipe if roasting and peeling red, green and yellow capsicum yourself.
• Ossau-Iraty is a type of Basque sheep’s milk cheese.

Watch how to make this recipe on Episode 13 of Plat du Tour Season 6, streaming free on SBS On Demand. See Plat du Tour each night during coverage of the 2025 Tour de France.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.