Ojja

About This Recipe

Ojja is Tunisia's answer to shakshuka — eggs poached in a fiery, cumin-laced tomato sauce that is spiked with harissa and often enriched with merguez sausages or prawns. Unlike the more restrained Moroccan version, Tunisian ojja is deeply spiced and aggressively seasoned, true to the bold heat of Tunisian cooking. It is a popular weekend brunch dish eaten with thick bread for scooping.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 300 gmerguez sausages(sliced into rounds)
• 4 largeeggs
• 400 gcanned tomatoes
• 2 tbspharissa paste
• 1 largeonion(chopped)
• 4 clovesgarlic(sliced)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tsppaprika
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1 small bunchfresh parsley(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Fry merguez

   Heat olive oil in a wide frying pan. Fry merguez rounds until browned. Remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Cook base

   Cook onion in the same pan over medium heat until soft. Add garlic, cumin and paprika. Cook 1 minute.

3. 3

   Add tomatoes

   Add tomatoes and harissa. Simmer 10 minutes until sauce thickens.

4. 4

   Return merguez

   Return merguez to the pan. Stir through.

5. 5

   Add eggs

   Make 4 wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each well. Cover and cook 5–7 minutes until whites are set but yolks still runny. Scatter parsley. Serve from the pan with crusty bread.

Variations

• •

  Omit merguez for a vegetarian version — add chickpeas instead.

• •

  Add a handful of olives for a saltier Mediterranean version.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Sauce without eggs keeps refrigerated for 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions