Smoky Chickpea Skillet with Eggs and Feta

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables

   Finely dice the onion, cut the bell pepper into small cubes, and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Chop the parsley, crumble the feta, and squeeze the juice from half the lemon.

   
2. 2

   Sauté the onion and bell pepper

   Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and the edges of the pepper begin to brown.

   
3. 3

   Bloom the spices

   Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and chili flakes. Stir for 30 seconds, just until the garlic and spices become fragrant; do not let them brown.

   
4. 4

   Thicken the sauce

   Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, water, salt, and black pepper. Stir and let simmer gently for 7–8 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the chickpeas are heated through. Taste; a squeeze of fresh lemon juice added at the end will balance the pronounced tomato flavor.

   
5. 5

   Cook the eggs and warm the pita

   Make four wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each one. Cover the skillet and cook for 5–7 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft; for firmer yolks, cook for another 1–2 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the pita breads in a toaster or in a dry skillet.

   
6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Remove the skillet from the heat. Drizzle the sauce with lemon juice and sprinkle with feta and parsley. Serve immediately with warm pita for dipping into the sauce and soft egg yolks.