Turkish-style eggs with tomato and paprika sauce

Today I propose a recipe with eggs that I think is delicious; a Turkish-inspired dish that is a wonderful display of flavours and aromas , with very interesting contrasts. For me, the egg is an essential ingredient and I love it cooked in all imaginable ways, but I assure you that this version of çilbir or Turkish-style eggs with tomato sauce and paprika has come into my life to stay.

çilbir is a traditional Turkish breakfast dish made of poached eggs placed on a thick yoghurt base and garnished with melted butter flavoured with spices. The dish is served with a few slices of freshly baked bread, perfect for the wonderful "mojete" that comes from this combination.

If it's already a delight, served with a cherry tomato sauce (or any other sweet tomato variety) and a few pear cherries sautéed in paprika butter, the dish is sublime. The most complex part of the recipe might be poaching the eggs to get them just right, but with the Le Creuset Sautéed Eggs Stainless Steel with Poached Egg Accessory, preparing perfect poached eggs takes very little time and, what's more, with the result you want on each occasion.

If you fancy a divine breakfast, here is the recipe for Turkish-style eggs with tomato and paprika sauce . Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
• 30 ml of olive oil
• 5 g smoked paprika
• 50 g butter
• 200 g fresh pear cherry tomatoes
• 800 g grated or crushed cherry tomatoes (or pear or sweet tomatoes)
• 100-150 ml of water*
• 4 large free range eggs
• 15 ml sherry vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To accompany:

• Thick natural yogurt
• Fresh watercress
• 50 g finely grated Parmesan cheese

*You can use grated natural or crushed tomatoes from a can or blend them at home. If you see that it contains a lot of water, you can omit the water from the recipe ingredients or use less.

Preparation

1. Heat a little oil in a low saucepan over medium heat and gently fry the chopped garlic for one minute.
2. Add the butter and smoked paprika, cooking until the butter melts.
3. Add the fresh cherry tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes, stirring gently, until cooked.
4. Remove all cooked tomatoes and set aside until serving.
5. Add the grated or crushed tomato to the saucepan to cook with the remaining butter and also add the water.
6. Cook over low heat and allow to reduce and thicken for about 15-20 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, heat the eggs in the Le Creuset Sauté Pan with Poached Eggs Accessory to your liking.
8. Season the sauce to taste and add a splash of sherry vinegar.
9. Add the poached eggs to the warm sauce and allow to heat through.
10. Arrange the thick yogurt in deep plates or bowls .
11. Remove the saucepan from the heat and divide the hot eggs and cherry tomato sauce onto each plate, over the yogurt.
12. Top with fresh watercress and cherry tomatoes cooked with the butter and paprika that you had reserved.
    
13. Sprinkle with a little grated cheese and serve with some homemade bread toast and season to taste.

Grades

• If you prefer, you can season the tomato sauce to your liking: with a little powdered rosemary or thyme, with fresh basil, adding more garlic or onion if you like, or sautéing some vegetables to make it like a ratatouille.
• You can also replace half of the water with white wine or cognac. If you find that the crushed tomatoes have a lot of water, you can omit the water from the recipe or add less.
• When you poach the eggs, you can season them with salt and freshly ground black pepper, any other pepper, or add a little parsley or your favorite herb to give them a different flavor. You can also add a little grated cheese so that, when they set, the flavor of the cheese will be integrated into the egg.
  Recipe author: Le Creuset