A fiery, garlicky tomato sauce simmered with spicy merguez sausage, finished with eggs poached directly in the sauce.
Tunisian Ojja is a real, traditional Tunisian dish, known as Spicy Tomato and Egg Stew with Merguez. A fiery, garlicky tomato sauce simmered with spicy merguez sausage, finished with eggs poached directly in the sauce.\n\nOjja is a beloved Tunisian dish built on the country's signature harissa-spiced tomato base, traditionally eaten for breakfast or a light dinner, with merguez sausage reflecting Tunisia's strong North African spiced-meat tradition.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Tunisian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 4
Heat olive oil in a wide skillet and cook onion and bell pepper until softened, about 8 minutes.
Stir in garlic, tomato paste, harissa and caraway, cooking for 1 minute.
Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.
Add the sliced merguez and simmer for 8 minutes until cooked through.
Make wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each, then cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the whites are set but yolks remain soft.
Season with salt, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.
Simmer the tomato sauce until well thickened before adding the eggs, so it can properly hold and cook them evenly.
Use real merguez sausage for its distinctive spiced lamb flavor — a substitute won't replicate the same depth.
Serve straight from the skillet with plenty of bread for scooping, as is traditional.
A vegetarian version skips the merguez and adds extra bell peppers or artichokes.
Some households add a handful of shrimp instead of or alongside the merguez.
Adjust the harissa quantity to control the heat level to taste.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Ojja is a beloved Tunisian dish built on the country's signature harissa-spiced tomato base, traditionally eaten for breakfast or a light dinner, with merguez sausage reflecting Tunisia's strong North African spiced-meat tradition.
A spicy North African-style lamb sausage, or in a pinch a hot Italian sausage seasoned with extra cumin and paprika, can substitute, though the flavor won't be identical.
Yes, the tomato and merguez base keeps well refrigerated for a couple of days; add fresh eggs just before serving.
It has a noticeable kick from the harissa, though the heat level can be adjusted by using less harissa for a milder version.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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