Menemen

Method

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1. Heat the olive oil in a wide, shallow pan over medium heat and cook the chopped peppers for 8 to 10 minutes until completely soft and beginning to colour.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

2. Add the tomatoes, pul biber, oregano and half the salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes have collapsed into a thick sauce and the oil separates at the edges.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

3. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting.

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4. Crack the eggs directly into the pan and season with the remaining salt and the black pepper.

   Mark done

5. Stir slowly with a wooden spoon, folding the eggs through the tomato, for 3 to 4 minutes. Take the pan off the heat while the eggs still look slightly underdone and glossy.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

6. The residual heat will finish them. Menemen should be soft and saucy, never dry.

   Mark done

7. Scatter with the crumbled cheese and parsley and serve immediately in the pan, with bread for scooping.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Low and slow with the eggs. Menemen is not a fast scramble.
• Whether the eggs are stirred through or left whole is a regional argument in Turkey; both are correct.
• Peel the tomatoes if you have the time — the skins curl into unpleasant strips otherwise.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Turkish tea, served in a tulip glass
• Serve with olives, cucumber, white cheese and bread
• Follow with fresh fruit

Storage & Reheating

Best immediately. The pepper and tomato base keeps 3 days refrigerated — reheat and add fresh eggs.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.