Baked Eggs in Spicy Tomato-Caper Sauce with Smoked Paprika and Cumin

A punchy, saucy shakshuka-style bake that gives Judy something loud and messy to dig into

⏱ 35 min · medium · 🍽 serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (more if Judy wants real heat)
• 800g tomatoes, chopped (or tinned equivalent)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 8 eggs
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Crusty bread, to serve

Steps

1. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 6-7 minutes until soft and turning gold — no rush, no colour yet.
2. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin and chilli flakes. Cook 1 minute until fragrant, don't let the paprika catch and turn bitter.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer uncovered 12-15 minutes, stirring now and then, until it's thickened to a properly saucy, jammy consistency.
4. Stir in the capers, taste, and season with salt and pepper — go generous, tomato needs it.
5. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
6. Make 8 small wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each. Slide the whole skillet into the oven.
7. Bake 10-12 minutes, until the whites are just set and the yolks are still soft and wobbly when you nudge the pan.
8. Scatter with parsley and bring the skillet straight to the table with bread for scooping.