Baked eggs with spinach, tomatoes, ricotta & basil

Serve this Italian-inspired take on a shakshuka for an easy brunch. If you’re not vegetarian, you could also add chorizo

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• pinch of chilli flakes
• 3 x 400g cans finely chopped tomatoes (or blitz regular canned chopped tomatoes using a food processor or hand blender)
• 3 tbsp sundried tomato pesto (ensure vegetarian, if needed)
• 200 g spinach, roughly chopped
• 8 eggs
• 100 g ricotta
• 40 g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, finely grated
• handful of basil leaves
• crusty bread or focaccia, to serve

Steps

1. Heat the oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large, shallow, flameproof casserole or frying pan over a low-medium heat and fry the onion with a pinch of salt for 10 mins until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and chilli flakes, and fry for 1 min more. Tip in the tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar and pesto. Season and simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins, stirring often. Tip in the spinach and cook for another 5 mins until wilted.
2. Heat the grill to high. Make eight gaps in the sauce with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each. Dot over the ricotta and scatter with the parmesan. Cover and cook for 5 mins, then slide under the hot grill for a few minutes until the egg whites are set and the yolks runny. Scatter with the basil and serve with crusty bread for dunking.