Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a Middle-Eastern, North African dish believed to have originated in Tunisia. Whatever it is, I first had it at the Dive Bar on Amsterdam in NYC and loved it! Here is my rendition based on a recipe from The Shiksa in the Kitchen, but adjusted based on other recipes and the way I had it at the Dive Bar.

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 medium onion, peeled and diced chunky

1 clove garlic, minced [try two next time]

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped chunky

1 28oz can Muir Glenn fire roasted tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp chili powder (mild) [I used Lodo Red Adobo from Savory Spice Shop]

1 tsp cumin seeds, ground

1 tsp paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper (to taste, or more for spicy)

Pinch of sugar (to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

5-6 eggs*

Feta - I wanted to add some, but didn’t have any so mixed some plain yogurt with grated Piave oro del Tempo cheese and salt.

Za’atar (sprinkle for garnish - optional) - this is the recipe I used.

1+ tbsp fresh chopped Italian parsley (for garnish)

Heat a deep, large skillet or sauté pan on medium. Slowly warm olive oil in the pan. Add chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and continue to sauté till mixture is fragrant.

Add the bell pepper, sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened.

Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan (break up tomatoes into large chunks if you used whole tomatoes). Stir till blended. Add spices and sugar, stir well, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes till it starts to reduce. At this point, you can taste the mixture and spice it according to your preferences. Add salt and pepper to taste, more sugar for a sweeter sauce, or more cayenne pepper for a spicier shakshuka (be careful with the cayenne... it is extremely spicy!). I added more salt, cayenne an especially sugar.

* I thickened it in my larger Magnalite pan, then put half into my smaller Look pan, added two eggs, and finished. I saved the rest in the fridge to cook eggs in another day.

I made little indents, then cracked the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. The recipe suggests 4-5 eggs around the outer edge and 1 in the center. The eggs will cook "over easy" style on top of the tomato sauce.

Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Keep an eye on the skillet to make sure that the sauce doesn't reduce too much, which can lead to burning.

Some people prefer their shakshuka eggs more runny. If this is your preference, let the sauce reduce for a few minutes before cracking the eggs on top-- then, cover the pan and cook the eggs to taste. I usually like my eggs softer, but for this dish I really like them cooked through but not well as they are more “meaty”.

Garnish with the chopped parsley, za’atar if you have it, and blobs of feta. Serve it in the pan on a hotplate.

Shakshuka can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For breakfast, serve with warm crusty bread or pita that can be dipped into the sauce (if you’re gluten-intolerant, skip the bread). For dinner, serve with a green side salad for a light, easy meal.