Spicy eggs are a modern breakfast or brunchtime favourite, and this version incorporates nutty pearled spelt to make a warming and nourishing start to your weekend. The green pepper in this recipe complements the chorizo and gives a sprightly freshness to the dish as a whole. You can obviously divide up the mixture into four individual earthenware dishes and bake the eggs in the oven, if you prefer, but the method we use is much more sociable.
SERVES 4
PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes COOKING TIME: 45 minutes
150g/5½oz/heaped ¾ cup pearled spelt
1 tbsp sunflower oil
4 chorizo, about 300g/10½oz total weight, cut into 1cm/½in discs
1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped 2 green peppers, deseeded and cut into 1cm/½in chunks
1 tbsp harissa paste
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
800g/1lb 12oz tinned plum tomatoes
4 eggs
1 handful of parsley or coriander leaves, roughly shredded or chopped a drizzle of olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 lemon wedges, to garnish
4 tbsp Greek yogurt or labneh cheese, to garnish
crusty bread, to serve (optional)
Cook the pearled spelt in boiling water for 20 minutes, or until tender, following the packet instructions. Drain and leave to one side.
Heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep-sided sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook for a few minutes until it caramelizes and starts to release its oil. Turn the slices over and cook on the other side for a couple of minutes. Remove from the pan, using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
Add the onion, peppers and harissa paste to the pan and cook in the chorizo oil over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until the vegetables are soft.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and stir well, then add 200ml/7fl oz/scant 1 cup water to the mixture so the tomatoes don’t stick while cooking. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
Add the cooked pearled spelt and return the chorizo to the pan. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes, stirring, until all the ingredients are hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Finally make 4 wells in the sauce mixture and crack an egg into each one. Cover the pan with a lid and poach the eggs for 5–8 minutes, or until they are set.
Serve the baked eggs in the dish you cooked them in, family style, scattered with the parsley and drizzled with a little olive oil. Let everyone garnish their own bowl with a lemon wedge and Greek yogurt, and serve with crusty bread, if you wish.