Pisto con huevos

Note: No need to be strict with the peppers and colour. Mix and match on availability, just make sure there are lots! If desired you could also combine some hot ones.

A note on the cooking dish: Traditionally the dish should be wide high-sided cazuela-style that can take heat direct and hot ovens. Anything similar would suffice. The recipe starts off using the cazuela on the hob and finished off in the oven.

Method Start off preparing the tomatoes; Core and very lightly cross-slash the bottoms. Plunge into boiling water. Bring water back to the boil and boil for 30secs. Remove the tomatoes and set aside to cool. When cool slide/peel off the outer skins and over a bowl carefully pull apart the tomatoes and separate the seeds from the tomato. Roughly chop the tomato pulp. Chuck away the seeds or keep them for another time.

In a dash of EVOO in the cazuela start frying the onions. Start off with 5mins at a high heat then sprinkle in the salt and turn down heat to low and cook until half done, stirring from time to time. Throw in the garlic and cook both for another 15mins (or until onion mix is almost done) on low heat and covered. Keep stirring from time to time.

Next throw in the chopped peppers, raise heat to medium, covered and stirring from time to time. Keep cooking and stirring the peppers to stop sticking and cook until they are just tender (this may take longer than you think). Turn oven on, set to 150C.

Mix in the oregano and thyme, bay leaves, black pepper and salt if needed. Next throw in the chopped courgettes and aubergine, combine thoroughly, and cook on medium heat for 10mins covered.

Stir in the chopped tomato pulp and cook for 20mins covered, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, sprinkle in parsley and carefully crack the eggs over the pisto. Do not include any broken yokes as this will diminish the dish. Place in the oven, or under grill and cook until eggs are cooked but still soft.

Serve with good country style bread and fruity (Spanish) red wine.