Ojja

Method

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1. Fry the merguez in the oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat for 6 minutes, turning, until browned and rendering red fat. Lift out and slice thickly.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

2. Cook the onion and peppers in the merguez fat for 6 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

3. Stir in the tomato purée and harissa and fry 2 minutes until the oil runs red.

   Mark done

4. Add the tomatoes, caraway, ground coriander and salt, and simmer 8 minutes.

   Mark done

5. Cook it down until it is genuinely thick — a spoon drawn through should briefly show the pan base. Return the sliced merguez.

   Mark done

6. Make six wells and break an egg into each. Cover and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until the whites are just set and the yolks still liquid.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

7. Scatter with parsley, finish with oil, and take the whole pan to the table with bread.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Reduce the sauce properly before the eggs go in.
• Keep the merguez fat. It is half the seasoning.
• Whites just set, yolks running. Thirty seconds too long ruins it.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Khobz tabouna
• Slata tounsia
• Harissa

Storage & Reheating

Best immediately. The sauce alone keeps 3 days refrigerated; add fresh eggs when reheating.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

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