Shakshuka

Shakshuka

Based on Deb Perelman's recipe in Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

Makes

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 jalapenos
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • ½ Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1½ Tbsp paprika
  • 1½kg canned whole peeled tomatoes
  • 2 red capsicum
  • ½ cup water
  • 8 eggs
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • Bread or pitas (for serving)

Prep

  1. Finely dice 1 yellow onion
  2. Stem, seed and finally chop 3 jalapenos, and put in the same bowl as the onions
  3. Crush then slice 6 garlic cloves. Add to a small bowl with ½ Tbsp ground cumin and 1½ Tbsp paprika
  4. Put 1½kg canned whole peeled tomatoes and their liquid into a large bowl and crush with your hands.
  5. [TBD how necessary this is] Over an open flame on the stove top or under the broiler, roast 2 red capsicum until skin is black and blistered all over, 8 to 12 minutes, turning the pepper as needed. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, cover with a plate or plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Uncover and rub the skin off, then seed and finely chop the pepper.

Cooking

  1. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic, cumin, and paprika, plus the roast red pepper to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.
  3. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with ½ cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.
  4. Crack 8 eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk.

To Serve

  1. Sprinkle shakshuka with ½ cup crumbled feta cheese and serve with bread or pitas, for dipping.