Ingredients

• 200g smoked chorizo, sliced into half-moons
• 1 can (400g) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 medium red onion, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 large eggs
• 80g crumbled feta or cotija cheese
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly torn
• Small handful of fresh cilantro, roughly torn
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes (for chili-herb oil)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for chili-herb oil)
• Crusty sourdough bread or flatbread, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Place the red onion wedges and chopped bell peppers on a baking tray, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20 minutes until charred at the edges. This gives the dish its 'ember' character — don't skip the char!
2. While the vegetables roast, heat a large oven-safe cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and fry the chorizo slices for 3–4 minutes until crisp and the red oils are released. Remove chorizo and set aside, leaving the oils in the pan.
3. In the same skillet, sauté the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, chipotle powder, and brown sugar, stirring for another 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
4. Pour in the fire-roasted crushed tomatoes. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the roasted peppers and onions and the crispy chorizo back into the skillet, folding them gently into the tomato base.
6. Use a spoon to create 4 small wells in the mixture, evenly spaced like a constellation. Crack one egg into each well. Season the eggs lightly with salt and pepper.
7. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes, until the egg whites are just set but the yolks remain gloriously runny (like molten stars). Keep a close eye — ovens vary!
8. Meanwhile, make the chili-herb oil: gently warm the extra virgin olive oil in a small pan over low heat with the chili flakes for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest. Set aside.
9. Remove the skillet from the oven. Immediately scatter crumbled feta or cotija cheese over the top (the white clusters will evoke stars against the dark, smoky sky). Finish with torn parsley and cilantro.
10. Drizzle the chili-herb oil over everything in a slow, starlight pattern. Bring the skillet straight to the table and serve with thick slices of crusty sourdough or warm flatbread for scooping.