Pisto Manchego con Huevo (Spanish Vegetable Stew with a Fried Egg)

Method

1. 1

   Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet and cook the onion over medium heat until soft, about 6 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the bell pepper and cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Stir in the zucchini and garlic, season with salt, and cook over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes.

   💡 Steady, moderate heat coaxes out the vegetables' sweetness — rushing it with high heat just browns the edges and leaves the middle raw.

4. 4

   Stir in the crushed tomato and bay leaf; simmer uncovered until thick and jammy with no watery pool at the bottom, about 6 minutes.

5. 5

   Discard the bay leaf, taste, and adjust the salt.

6. 6

   In a small pan, fry the eggs in the remaining olive oil until the whites are set and the yolks stay runny, about 3 minutes.

7. 7

   Spoon the pisto into bowls, top each with a fried egg, and break the yolk into the vegetables at the table.