Handy: this is how your poached eggs in tomato sauce always turn out perfectly
Eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili pepper, bell pepper and onion: this is also known as shakshuka. A dish that is traditionally eaten a lot in North Africa and the Middle East. What makes this dish so distinctive is the eggs that you crack into little wells. And with this tip, they stay perfectly soft and runny.
You can make shakshuka the classic way with the ingredients we mentioned above, but you can also vary it wonderfully. For example, try shakshuka with a creamy sauce of salmon and spinach, an aubergine shakshuka or one with sweet potato, sriracha butter and pickled onions à la Ottolenghi. Whichever recipe you choose: an egg is essential.
Poached eggs in tomato sauce
There are two ways to add the eggs to the pan. It depends on whether you prefer a hard or soft egg. If you prefer a hard egg, it’s best to add the egg to the pan whole and then let it cook for a few minutes with the lid on.
Perfectly soft egg
We really do prefer a soft egg, so that when you pierce it with a fork, the yolk slowly runs through the warm sauce. To do this, separate the white and yolk. It’s useful to keep the yolk in the eggshell. Then first pour the egg white into the well and let it cook for a few minutes. Next, gently slide the yolk from the shell onto the (almost set) egg white. Again, put the lid on the pan for 2 minutes and tadaaa: a perfectly soft egg!
Also read:
- Why you should eat white eggs
- Handy: this is how you bring eggs to room temperature in no time
- Strange eggs: can you actually eat these?
