shakshuka

shakshuka

shakshuka your way

Shakshuka has a long history. It traces its origins back to North Africa in the mid 16th century, when tomatoes and peppers were first introduced to the region from the New World. It was brought to Israel by Jewish Immigrants in the mid 20th century and experienced a surge in popularity in the 1990s. It’s still the most well-known and popular breakfasts in Israel.

In recent years shakshuka has become trendy in the U.S., as a hearty breakfast, a light dinner, or at any time.

Shakshuka is, at its essence, a thick, somewhat spicy, tomato and red bell pepper stew into which whole eggs are cracked and then cooked, in the oven or on the stovetop, until the eggs are set. There are so many versions out there—creative cooks have added eggplant, potatoes, spinach, mushrooms, or other vegetables, and they all work.

This is your favorite shakshuka because you’re going to make it your way. The seasonings in my version give the dish a rich and complex flavor, but if any of them don’t suit your fancy, leave them out. You’ll decide if your shakshuka is completely mild, wildly spicy or somewhere in between. Will your harissa be hot or mild? Will you add hot peppers? Will you keep it basic or add other vegetables and lots of toppings? Will you cook the eggs until the whites are just set, or longer until the yolks are thick? Let your creativity take flight, and embellish your shakshuka in any way you’d like. In fact, you can change it up every time you make it, according to your mood and inclination. Make the dish your own. It will be hard to go wrong.

Top it off as you like. Good choices are cilantro, labne or thick Greek yogurt, feta cheese, microgreens, or avocado slices and bring it to the table in the pan in which it was cooked. Serve it with fluffy pita or a crusty bread—you’ll want to scoop up all that sauce and egg yolk.

Shakshuka

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons fruity extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion, small dice

• 1 large red bell pepper, small dice

• Optional—1 or more hot peppers, such as habanero, diced

• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• ½ teaspoon turmeric

• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika

• 1 28 ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes (certified, not San Marzano style), crushed

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons harissa, hot or mild

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• ¼—1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

• 6 large free-range eggs from happy chickens

• Options: A handful of baby spinach (chopped), some peeled, diced eggplant (salted for 30 minutes and then rinsed), sliced mushrooms, diced carrots, or whatever you’d like to add.

Toppings:

• Crumbles of feta cheese or chèvre

• Labne or thick Greek yogurt

• Chopped cilantro and/or parsley

• Microgreens

• Sliced avocado

• Shug (an Israeli hot sauce made of hot peppers, herbs, garlic, and spices)

• Crusty bread or pita for serving

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375°

• Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet—cast iron is a good choice, if you have one.

• Sauté the onion, bell pepper, and hot pepper if using, until the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft.

• Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, harissa, garlic, all the seasonings, and any vegetables that you’re adding (except spinach or other tender greens—add those in the last few minutes of cooking), and let it simmer until the sauce is thick and all the vegetables are cooked through, about 20 minutes. If you find the sauce is getting too thick before the vegetables are done, stir a little water into the stew.

• When the stew is thick and the vegetables are done, remove the pan from the heat and taste the sauce, adjusting seasonings to your taste.

• Using the back of a spoon, make 6 craters in the stew, evenly spaced around the pan. Carefully crack an egg into each crater and, using a light hand, add a little sprinkle of salt over the eggs.

• Slide the pan into the oven and bake the shakshuka for 5—10 minutes, depending upon how you like your eggs.(I like them super runny) Finish the dish with whatever toppings you want to use and bring the skillet to the table.

• Alternatively, you can finish the dish stovetop, although it’s a bit trickier to get the eggs to cook evenly. Once the eggs have been added, cover the pan and return it to the stove. Cook it over medium-low heat, checking every few minutes to make sure the eggs don’t overcook.