Middle Eastern Beans with Baked Eggs

, from Issue #68. November, 2016
Photography by Kelly Gibney.
Middle Eastern Beans with Baked Eggs

Baked eggs and beans is such an easy way to feed a crowd. I love to serve this with kumara sourdough and a thick smear of butter.

Serves: 4–6

INGREDIENTS

1 medium onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 piece celery, finely diced
1 red capsicum, seeds and core removed, sliced
1 lemon, zest only
1 teaspoon each ground cumin, curry powder
½ teaspoon each ground turmeric, garam masala
2 x 400-gram tins cannellini beans
400-gram tin butter beans
2 x 400-gram bottles tomato passata 
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
large handful baby spinach or baby kale leaves
ghee or other oil for sautéing
4–6 free-range eggs

To serve
fresh parsley and pumpkin seeds

METHOD

Heat a few spoonfuls of oil in a sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and celery. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the capsicum, lemon zest and spices. Sauté for 1–2 minutes.

Add the beans, tomato passata and stock. Bring to a boil before leaving to simmer for 45 minutes. Stir through the spinach or kale and cook for 1 further minute. Season to taste.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. 

Spoon enough beans to half fill a 25cm round ovenproof dish. Use the back of a spoon to make indents for the eggs. Crack an egg into each of these and place in the oven to bake for 5–8 minutes until just set. Serve immediately with fresh parsley and pumpkin seeds.

Leftover beans can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month.