Turkish Spinach and Eggs (Ispanaklı Yumurta)
By Mersedeh Prewer
Category
Breakfast
Cuisine
Turkish
Servings
4
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Total Time
35 Minutes
Ingredients
-
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
-
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
-
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons Turkish sweet red pepper paste (Tatli Biber Salçasi, see note for substitution)
- 2 medium tomatoes, grated on the largest side of a box grater
- 10 ounces fresh baby spinach
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 4 large eggs
-
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- Finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions
Cook the onions and garlic. In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. When it shimmers, add the onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and stir until the aroma is released, about 1 minute.
Add the spices and red pepper paste. Add the cumin and smoked paprika and stir until evenly coated. Follow with the Turkish red pepper paste and stir in until evenly distributed.
Add tomatoes and wilt the spinach. Stir in the grated tomatoes, 1/3 cup water and a couple big handfuls of baby spinach. Stir until the spinach wilts, then continue adding the spinach a couple of handfuls at a time until all the spinach has wilted. Continue stirring until the spinach is fully wilted and the flavors have integrated in the sauce, about 7 minutes longer. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the eggs. Turn the heat to medium-low. Using a wooden spoon, make 4 evenly spaced wells in the tomato mixture and gently crack an egg into each indentation. Season each egg with a bit of salt. Cover the pan and cook until the eggs have set to your liking, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Garnish and serve. Remove the lid and sprinkle on the Aleppo pepper and fresh parsley over top. Serve immediately.
Recipe Note
- To substitute the Red Pepper Paste: Mix together 2 tablespoons tomato paste with 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo Pepper. Increase the smoked paprika to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Serving suggestions: Serve with Greek yogurt and some bread, like Simit (Turkish Sesame Bread Rings), Pita or Challah.
- Storage: Cover and store leftovers in the fridge for up to two nights. Let the Ispanakli Yumurta cool down completely and place in an airtight container before refrigerating.
Nutrition
Calories 169, Fat 11 grams, Monounsaturated Fat 6800 milligrams, Sodium 127.8 milligrams, Sugar 3.3 grams, Calcium 114.9 milligrams, Carbs 8.9 grams, Saturated Fat 2.4 grams, Trans Fat 0.02 grams, Potassium 663.4 milligrams, Vitamin A 187.9 milligrams, Iron 3.2 milligrams, Protein 8.7 grams, Polyunsaturated Fat 1800 milligrams, Cholesterol 163.7 milligrams, Fiber 3 grams, Vitamin C 31.1 milligrams