Try myTurkish Menemen recipe for a flavorful breakfast! Fresh tomatoes, peppers, and eggs come together in this tasty dish. It would be surprise if you won’t love this, it is so delicious and juicy.
The reason there are strong shadows on the picture is because I could not wait to eat it up and was not careful to take a good enough picture. I know that next time will be the same, so I am posting it anyway and hope you’ll understand.
As usual, there are again many different versions for this dish. Some like it scrambled, others add mushrooms and/or onions. This is the most simple, straight forward one and it is my favorite. I can have it for breakfast, lunch or even for dinner. It is generally prepared when you are lazy or have nothing left at home or simply because you miss it.
How to order menemen?
You can find menemen also in brunch-serving restaurants in Turkey. Generally they will ask you whether you want them scrambled or not. I prefer it with the egg yolks whole as in the picture and enjoy dipping a piece of crispy bread into it. Aaah, this is so difficult to write, even when I am full.
All you need is several green fresh peppers. They can be hot if you like some chili. My husband likes menemen with really hot chilli peppers. I have to wash my hands several times to get rid of the hot that gets on my fingers. I have to watch out not to use the same knife and spoon for mine. So just guess how chilli his menemen is. Chop the peppers to small cubes and stir cook with a tablespoon of butter. Please do not use olive oil or other kind of oil with eggs. The vitamins in the eggs come out better and taste by far much better with butter.
Then pick mid sized 2-3 tomatoes and peel them. Peeling tomatoes sound strange to many women, but when you cook tomatoes without peeling, they leave out their peel and this does not look or taste good when your serve.
How to peel tomatoes?
There are many tricks for peeling tomatoes;
- if you have a gas stove, you can stick a fork into the tomato and roast it slightly and you will see the peel with split and make it easy for you to tear it away, or
- make an x with a knife on the bottom of each tomato; add water to a pot, bring to boil and add the tomatoes, keep in water until the x starts to widen up, take out the tomatoes soak into iced water and see how easy you can peel, or
- you can peel them with a peeler or a knife as if you were peeling an apple. I generally go ahead with this option.
How to prepare menemen?
Back to menemen, peel your tomatoes and cut to cubes. Add to the skillet as soon as the green peppers are giving in – that is they are looking like they are almost ready to greet the eggs. Cook until the tomatoes are some what blended. I like them cooked very little. You can cook until they are mashed if you choose. Add salt and stir at this stage. You should not add salt on the eggs before you close the heat.
Then slowly break the eggs in the middle. Do not mix, lower the heat, cover the lid. Cook until the white is cooked, but the yolk is still juicy. Sprinkle with freshly grounded black pepper and a pinch of salt.
If you liked this recipe here is my Gozleme recipe for breakfast.
Enjoy with fresh bread.
Eggs on Peppers and Tomatoes / Menemen
Ingredients
- 2 eggs large
- 1 green pepper de-seeded, chopped
- 3 tomatoes peeled, chopped
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper fresh ground
Instructions
- Wash the peppers. Take out the seeds and chop to cubes. You may use hot peppers too.
- Rinse the tomatoes and cut to cubes.
- Add butter to a skillet, melt over medium heat.
- Add chopped peppers. Stir until some what ready.
- Add the tomatoes, stir once in a while. Add salt. Cook until well done.
- Break two eggs on top. Scramble or keep the yolks as whole.
- Cook until the whites of the eggs are cooked, but the tomatoes are still watery and the yolk (if not scrambled) is not overdone.
- Serve with fresh bread to dip and Turkish tea to sip.