One of life's simple pleasures is a scrummy home-cooked meal. Make that meal a delicious Shakshuka and you’re in heaven. This month’s recipe comes from Last Minute Brunch Party, which is filled with sweet and savoury recipes that will make hosting your next brunch gathering (just like a dinner party, but caffeinated) a breeze.This is an edited extract from Last Minute Brunch Party by Amelia Wasiliev published by Hardie Grant Books – out March 2025.

SHAKSHUKA EGGS
This simple one-pan dish will always impress. Nothing beats the hearty combination of subtly spiced tomato sauce with creamy, perfectly cooked eggs. It’s delicious topped with fresh herbs and served with crusty bread to soak up all the saucy goodness.

Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 30 mins

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 can (425g) diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste 4 eggs
Black pepper

FOR THE GARNISH
40g feta cheese, crumbled
1 handful of flat-leaf parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and bell pepper and cook until the pepper is softened. Stir in the spices and oregano and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the diced tomatoes, then add the salt and pepper to taste. Let the mixture simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens. The sauce needs to be thick enough to support the eggs as they cook.

Using a spoon, create 4 small wells evenly spaced in the tomato mixture (if the wells don’t hold shape you may need to simmer the sauce a little longer to let it thicken). Carefully crack an egg into each well, trying to keep the egg contained in the well. Cover the skillet with a lid and let the eggs cook to your desired doneness, about 5 minutes for runny yolks.

Garnish with crumbled feta and parsley and serve straight from the skillet.

MAKE AHEAD
To save time, the sauce can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Simply reheat it in a large skillet and once it has come to a simmer continue with the rest of the recipe.

SUBS
Fresh herbs or baby spinach are a great addition to this dish or add some canned chickpeas or other beans at the same time as the canned tomatoes for extra flavour and texture.