Name: Menemen, Turkish scrambled eggs with tomatoes and peppers
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, preferably a mild one; ½ medium onion, finely chopped (optional); 3 to 4 mild Turkish green peppers, such as sivri or çarliston, finely chopped (otherwise, ½ green pepper); 2 medium tomatoes, halved; 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional); 4 eggs; pul biber, or Aleppo pepper, to serve (optional) (otherwise, piment d'Espelette); salt and pepper

Menemen is the most common egg dish at a Turkish home breakfast. The eggs are scrambled in a sauce of tomatoes and green peppers. Onion is optional, and Turks are split on it.

Cooked long and gently, the peppers and onion turn sweet. The tomato makes a fresh sauce and the eggs stay creamy. It is at its best in summer, with really ripe tomatoes.

Method

Heat a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Cook the onion and peppers in the olive oil for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. They should be completely soft but not coloured.

Meanwhile, grate the tomatoes, cut side against the coarse side of a box grater, until only the skin is left. Throw the skin away.

Add the grated tomato and the parsley to the pan. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Turn the heat down. Crack the eggs into the pan and stir constantly until they are done the way you like them.

Serve straight away, with a little parsley and pul biber on top.