Heat the oil. Add 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pan over medium heat.

Sauté the vegetables. Add the chopped onion, red pepper, and minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything has softened and the onion is translucent.

Toast the spices. Add the cumin, paprika, coriander, and chilli if using, and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously. Cooking the spices directly in the oil at this stage unlocks their full depth and makes the whole kitchen smell incredible.

Build the sauce. Pour in the canned tomatoes along with the fresh chopped tomato. Season well with salt and pepper and stir everything together. Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes until it has thickened and the flavours have properly come together. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Add the eggs. Use the back of a spoon to create 3–4 wells in the sauce. If the sauce looks very thick at this point, add a small splash of water before cracking in the eggs — this creates a little steam inside the pan which helps the eggs cook evenly without drying out. Crack an egg carefully into each well.

Cook the eggs. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5–8 minutes depending on how you like your yolks. Check from minute 5 — the whites should be fully set while the yolks remain slightly runny and golden.

Serve immediately. Scatter over freshly chopped parsley and bring the pan straight to the table with plenty of crusty bread for scooping. Shakshuka waits for no one.