Turkish Menemen (Menemen) — Soft Eggs with Tomatoes and Peppers

• 800 gripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 200 gTurkish green peppers, thinly sliced (use mild sivri biber or carliston-style peppers if available)
• 2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
• 25 gunsalted butter
• 6eggs
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 1 tsppul biber
• 0.5 tspfreshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the tomatoes before you begin cooking, because menemen moves quickly once the peppers soften. Peel the tomatoes, dice them finely, and keep all their juices, since the tomato liquid forms the sauce that gently cooks the eggs.

2. 2

   Set a wide, shallow skillet or copper sahan over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter foams but has not browned, add the sliced green peppers and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until they soften and smell sweet.

3. 3

   Add the diced tomatoes, salt, pul biber, and black pepper to the softened peppers. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes collapse into a loose sauce and the excess watery liquid reduces.

4. 4

   Crack the eggs into a bowl and break the yolks with a fork, mixing only briefly so the whites and yolks remain slightly streaky. Lower the heat to medium-low, pour the eggs over the tomato-pepper mixture, and wait 20 seconds before stirring.

5. 5

   Stir slowly from the edges toward the center with a wooden spoon, folding the eggs through the sauce rather than scrambling them hard. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stopping while the eggs are still glossy and softly set, because residual heat will continue to thicken them.

6. 6

   Remove the pan from the heat and let the menemen rest for 1 minute before serving. Bring it to the table in the cooking pan with plenty of bread, so diners can scoop up the soft eggs and tomato juices directly.