Moroccan · Breakfast
Atlas Wild Thyme Eggs (Berber Skillet)
A quick Amazigh skillet breakfast: eggs cracked into a pan of softened tomato and onion, scented heavily with the wild mountain thyme (zaïtra) that grows all over the Atlas and finished with olive oil and cumin. Cooked in a small clay or metal tagine dish, it is eaten communally straight from the pan with bread.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Serves
- 3
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 5 eggs
- 3 tomatoes, grated
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried wild thyme
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- 1
Soften the base
Warm the olive oil in a skillet or metal tagine, add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and golden.
- 2
Reduce the tomato
Add the grated tomato, cumin, paprika, most of the thyme, salt and pepper and simmer 8–10 minutes to a thick sauce.
- 3
Make wells
Make wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each, keeping the yolks intact.
- 4
Cook the eggs
Cover and cook gently for 5–6 minutes until the whites are set but the yolks still soft.
- 5
Finish
Scatter with the remaining thyme and a thread of olive oil and serve straight from the pan with bread.
Chef's tips
- Reduce the tomato properly first — a watery base makes the eggs steam grey instead of setting neatly.
- Wild Atlas thyme is stronger than garden thyme; use a little less if substituting a potent dried variety.
- Cover the pan to set the tops of the yolks lightly without overcooking the bottoms.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from a berber omelette or shakshuka?
It is very close, but the defining note here is the heavy use of wild mountain thyme and a finish of olive oil rather than the layered spice mix of a city shakshuka.
Can I add cheese?
A little crumbled fresh taklilt or jben scattered over before covering melts nicely and enriches the dish.