Tunisian Food features cooking traditions, ingredients, recipes and techniques developed in Tunisia since ancient times. Tunisian cuisine has influenced many cultures and nations like Italians , Andalusians , French and Arabs . Like many countries in the Mediterranean basin, the Tunisian cuisine is heavily based on olive oil , spices, tomatoes , seafood and meat. Yet, it has a distinctive spiciness that differs it from food in nearby countries. The North African dish asida is a lump of cooked wheat dough, sometimes with added butter or honey Merguez is a red, spicy mutton or beef -based fresh sausage Egg shakshouka made in Tunisia Unlike other North African cuisines, Tunisian food is quite spicy. A popular condiment and ingredient which is used extensively in Tunisian cooking, harissa , is a mix of ground chili peppers , garlic, and caraway or spices commonly sold together as a paste. It is usually the most important ingredient in different sauces and gravies