Shakshuka
Serves
4
Prep Time
5mins
Total Time
45mins
difficulty
Moderate
This dish is found all over Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa and has become a firm family favourite for that special breakfast. However, there are many variations of this recipe I picked up this version widely used in Israel.
We were at a cooking class in Hanoi, Vietnam along with a family from Israel. They couldn’t believe that a couple of Aussies were cooking “their” breakfast at home! We had a lot of fun that day and would do it again given the opportunity.
Shakshuka is a spicy tomato mixture into which softly cooked eggs are embedded and topped with crumbled feta cheese. Some versions use kale for a green leaf but as my significant other has an aversion to the stuff, I use baby spinach leaves.
You can cook it entirely on the stovetop or finish it off in the oven if you like. I don’t worry about making too much as you can use the sauce for days afterwards.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium brown onion, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 teaspoon crushed chilli (or to taste)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 kg ripe tomatoes or 1 x 810g can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
- between 4 & 6 eggs
Instructions
1. Cook the aromatics
- In frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
- Add the onions and the garlic, chilli and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and transparent.
- Add the spices and season with salt and pepper
- Cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly
2. Add the tomatoes
- Tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, and vinegar
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- Add the spinach
3. Remove from the heat
- Make some dents in the tomato mixture for the eggs and crack the eggs into these.
- Crumble the feta over the top.
4. Return to the heat
- Cook for about 10 minutes.
- Cover and cook until the eggs are done to your taste.
5. Using an oven it works well in individual ramekins
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C
- Same process and wait until the eggs are done.
6. Serve
- As you like.
- Good with fresh French Loaf if you can get it.
- Top with coriander leaves or parsley. and serve immediately
Photo Credits: Jenn Kosar | Unsplash
