Menemen (Turkish Peppers, Tomato and Eggs)

Menemen might be the dish on this list closest in spirit to my own kitchen, because it’s basically Turkey’s answer to the same slow-cooked tomato-and-egg breakfasts you’ll find all around the Mediterranean and Middle East. If you’ve made my Shakshuka (recipe on the site), you already understand the appeal: soft scrambled eggs cooked directly into a skillet of simmered peppers and tomatoes, mopped up with bread, no fork required.

The difference from shakshuka is mostly technique and texture. Menemen uses green peppers (traditionally the long, mild Turkish çarliston pepper) sautéed until soft before the tomatoes go in, and the eggs are usually stirred through the sauce rather than left whole to poach, so you end up with soft, custardy curds distributed throughout instead of neat egg pockets. Turkish home cooks argue about this constantly, whole eggs versus stirred, and I land firmly on team stirred.

This has become a regular weekend breakfast in our house, mostly because it takes ten minutes and everyone can customize their own bowl with feta or a little chili flake. If you like this style of cooking, my Zaalouk and Fattoush (recipes on the site) round out a nice Eastern Mediterranean breakfast or light lunch spread, and a glass of cold Ayran (recipe on the site) is the traditional drink alongside it.

Menemen Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: 15 minutes · Total: 25 minutes · Servings: 3 · Calories: ~260 per serving

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
• 2 long green Turkish peppers or 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped (optional, more common outside Turkey)
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped, or 1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or paprika, plus more for serving
• 5 large eggs
• Crusty bread and crumbled feta, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil or butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers (and onion, if using) and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, until softened.
2. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and Aleppo pepper or paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and most of the liquid cooks off into a thick sauce.
3. Crack the eggs directly into the skillet. Let them sit for 15 seconds, then stir gently and continuously with a spatula, scraping the bottom, until the eggs form soft, loose curds throughout the sauce, about 2 minutes. Don’t overcook; you want it slightly wet, as it keeps cooking off the heat.
4. Remove from heat immediately once the eggs are just set but still glossy. Taste and adjust salt.
5. Serve straight from the skillet with crusty bread for scooping, a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper, and crumbled feta on the side if you like.

Recipe Notes

• Turkish çarliston peppers (also called Italian frying peppers) are the traditional choice and are increasingly available at farmers markets and Middle Eastern grocers; green bell pepper is a fine substitute.
• Grating the tomatoes on a box grater (cut side down, discarding the skin) is the traditional method and gives the smoothest sauce without needing a blender.
• Watch the eggs closely in the last minute; they go from perfectly soft to overcooked very quickly in a hot pan.
• Aleppo pepper has a fruity, mild heat that’s worth seeking out at Middle Eastern markets or online, but regular paprika with a pinch of cayenne works in a pinch.