Egg based

Spiced lentil and tomato baked eggs

 
Serves 2


The ingredient amounts are pretty flexible and you can sub things in and out as you wish – remember this is a casual, easy dish.

Extra virgin olive oil and optional butter
1 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed or sliced and roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds. or ground cumin (I roast mine)
1/2 tsp chipotle flakes (substitute; 1/4 tsp paprika + 1/4 tsp chilli powder or cayenne
1 tsp paprika
350 mls tomato passata
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 cup cooked puy lentils (You can get these already cooked in vacuum packs in most supermarkets)
4 to 5 eggs
Juice of half a lemon
Fresh chopped parsley
Sliced crusty bread (more white than grainy for this) brushed with extra virgin olive oil or butter and grilled until the tops are crispy.Preheat you grill for the bread.
Heat the 1 tbsp olive oil and butter in a medium/large heavy-ish frypan on medium heat.
Stir in onions, cook until softened and start to brown on the edges.
Stir in the garlic, cook until softened. meanwhile, bash the cumin, salt, chipotle and pepper in a mortar and pestle.
Sprinkle half over the onions and garlic, breathe deeply, and reduce heat to medium low. let sizzle a little for a minute, then stir in tomatoes, lentils and lemon juice. Let this mixture reduce on low heat for about 10 minutes (or until your desired consistency)
taste, add more salt if necessary.
Crack over eggs, and sprinkle everything with the other half of your salt/spice mix.
Cover and let simmer for 5- 7 minutes, depending on how cooked you want your egg yolks. While the eggs are cooking, grill your bread.
Uncover, and sprinkle over the parsley and an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve hot with your
just toasted bread.