Ethiopian Pasta

I’m sure it has a proper name, but I don’t know it.  A recipe I first learned in Yemen, and it has been a family supper standby for years and years.

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 2-3 tbsp oil
• 3-4 cloves garlic (or more, to taste)
• 2-3 small, hot chillis (or more, to taste)
• salt
• fresh black pepper
• ½ tsp dried thyme (or rosemary, or other dried herbs)
• 1 large green pepper (or a good handful of spinach leaves)
• 3-4 ripe tomatoes
• 2-3 eggs
• bunch of parsley or coriander leaves

Method

• Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, and cook enough spaghetti for four people.
• Chop the onion finely, and sauté very gently in the oil.
• When the onion is soft and translucent, but not coloured, add the garlic (finely chopped); chillis (also finely chopped; remove seeds if you wish, but it’s surprising just how much chilli this dish can take without being overpowering); salt; a generous grind of black pepper; and the thyme. And turn the heat off. The additions will just get warm, and flavour the oil.
• Dice the green pepper quite small (or chop the spinach), cut the tomatoes into wedges, and chop the parsley or coriander leaves, ready to add at the last moment.
• When the spaghetti is cooked “al dente”, drain it (not too thoroughly, a little water will help bind the dish), and return to the saucepan. Add the onion, chilli, and oil, and make sure the spaghetti is well coated.
• Break the eggs into the spaghetti, and stir round to break them up. Adjust the seasoning, if needed – I usually have to add some salt. I like to let the eggs just cook in the residual heat of the pasta, but you may prefer to keep a gentle heat on under the pan. Add the remaining vegetables and leaves, swirl round to mix and warm slightly – and serve.