Tunisian Ojja Merguez

Tunisian Ojja Merguez

Ojja is a quick Tunisian skillet of tomatoes, peppers, harissa, merguez and eggs. It resembles shakshuka, but its identity here comes from the merguez sausage and the caraway seasoning; the common Tunisian version doesn’t need onion.

Prep time: 15 minutes · Cooking time: 35 minutes · Yield: 4 servings · Difficulty: Easy

Cook the merguez before the eggs

A sausage browns on the outside before it is safe in the center. Slice it only after a quick sear and cook it in the sauce to 71°C (160°F); the eggs go in once the meat is done.

Ingredients (for 4 servings)

• 500 g kosher beef or lamb merguez sausages
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 sweet green peppers and 1 hot pepper, sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 800 g crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste and 1 tablespoon harissa
• 1 teaspoon ground caraway, 1 teaspoon paprika, salt and pepper
• 6 eggs
• Parsley and lemon for serving

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

Kosher merguez is sold at butcher shops and supermarket chains in Israel, but the fat content varies widely; the label is the accurate source for calories. You can use beef meatballs seasoned with harissa and caraway, but then it’s no longer merguez sausage.

Method

1. Sear the sausages. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil, brown the whole merguez for 5 minutes and remove. Cool slightly and slice into pieces.
2. Fry the peppers. Add the remaining oil and the peppers and fry 7 minutes. Add the garlic for half a minute.
3. Reduce the sauce. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, harissa and spices. Cook uncovered 12–15 minutes, until the sauce is thick.
4. Finish the merguez. Return the slices and cook 6–8 minutes, to 71°C in the center.
5. Add the eggs. Make six wells, crack in the eggs, cover and cook 5–8 minutes. For at-risk groups, cook until the yolk is firm. Serve without dairy to keep it a kosher meat dish.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

The calculation assumes merguez at about 280 calories per 100 g. A lean product at 230 calories per 100 g will cut about 60 calories per serving.

Variations and tips

• The heat also comes from the sausage; taste before adding all the harissa.
• You can make the sauce a day ahead, reheat it, and then cook the merguez and eggs in it.
• Leftovers with egg keep up to two days in the fridge and should be reheated until steaming.

Summary

Ojja merguez isn’t just shakshuka with an extra: the caraway, peppers and sausage fat melt into the sauce. A serving is about 630 calories before bread. For another hot Tunisian dish with harissa, see lablabi.