This convenient, one-skillet dish from Taste of South Africa with The Kosher Butcher’s Wife by Sharon Lurie, R290, Penguin Random, can be served for breakfast, dinner or any time in between.

(Serves 6)

INGREDIENTS15

1 cup mealie meal or polenta (cooked as per packet instructions)

olive oil

500g boerewors or Russian sausages or your favourite breakfast sausage, cut into 4–5cm thick slices

6 eggs

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE

2 red peppers, halved, deseeded and chopped

2 large onions, chopped

1t crushed garlic

2T cooking oil

2t harissa paste (heaped)

1T tomato paste

1T brown sugar

½t ground cumin

2t smoked paprika

pinch cayenne pepper

2 x 400g tins chopped Italian tomatoes

1T chopped fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried

1T chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper, to taste

TO SERVE

1T chopped fresh coriander or parsley for sprinkling

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METHOD

1. Spread the hot mealie meal or polenta over the base of a 10 x 15cm baking tray. Cover and refrigerate. This can be prepared a day in advance.

2. To make the tomato sauce, fry the peppers, onions and garlic in the oil until soft. Add the harissa paste, tomato paste, sugar, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper and stir for a minute.

3. Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil; lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens. Finally, add the thyme, parsley and salt and pepper.

4. Remove the mealie meal or polenta from the fridge. Slice into fingers (or triangles), lightly oil a grilling pan, brush each side of the fingers with olive oil and pan sear until golden brown (3–5 minutes per side), then set aside.

5. Fry the sliced boerewors or sausage in a large frying pan until lightly browned (don’t overcook, just brown for colour).

6. Add the tomato sauce to the sausage and keep it warm over a low heat.

7. Make 6 openings in the tomato sauce and sausage mixture for the eggs. Crack each egg into a little bowl and then place an egg into each opening in the sauce.
8. Continue cooking on the stovetop until the egg whites start to form and the yolks are done to your preference (although the yolks should be soft).

9. Place the seared mealie meal or polenta fingers in the tomato sauce, sprinkle with coriander or parsley and serve immediately.

*COOK’S NOTE The tomato sauce may be prepared up to 2 days before serving.