Traditional Turkish Menemen

By Culiora

Menemen is a classic Turkish breakfast skillet featuring soft, gently scrambled eggs suspended in a rich sauce of sweet peppers, ripe tomatoes, and butter. The secret lies in cooking the eggs on low heat until barely set and still delightfully juicy, made to be scooped up with crusty bread.

• Servings: 4
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Total time: 35 min

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 pcs Turkish green sivri peppers (or Italian frying peppers), stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 pcs small brown onion, finely diced (optional, traditional for lunch)
• 4 pcs ripe medium vine tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped (approx. 500 g)
• 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes (pul biber)
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 6 pcs large eggs, lightly beaten in a bowl
• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil and butter together in a wide skillet (or traditional copper sahan) over medium heat until the butter melts and begins to bubble.
2. Add the diced onion and sliced peppers. Sauté for 6–8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the peppers soften and begin to turn translucent without browning.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes, salt, Aleppo pepper flakes, and black pepper.
4. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have completely broken down into a juicy, saucy consistency and most of the excess water has evaporated.
5. Pour the lightly beaten eggs evenly across the tomato mixture. Let them sit undisturbed for 30–45 seconds so the base begins to set.
6. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently draw the eggs from the edges inward in slow folds, allowing the liquid egg to flow onto the hot pan surface. Cook for 2–3 minutes over low heat just until the curds are soft and glossy. Take the pan off the heat while the eggs are still slightly runny, as residual heat will continue cooking them.
7. Sprinkle with chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and serve immediately straight from the pan with plenty of warm crusty bread.