breakfast

Shakshuka

Name: Shakshuka
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 6 large eggs; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 medium onion, diced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese; 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped; Crusty bread, for serving; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shakshuka is a North African and Middle Eastern dish of eggs poached directly in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce. The sauce is built first: onions, garlic, and bell peppers cooked down in olive oil, then canned tomatoes added with cumin, paprika, and chili. The sauce needs time to thicken before the eggs go in. Shallow wells are made in the sauce with the back of a spoon, the eggs are cracked in, and the lid goes on. The steam from the sauce cooks the egg whites from above while the sauce cooks the bottom. The target is fully set whites with yolks that still move when the pan is nudged. This takes five to seven minutes over medium heat. The egg poaches in the sauce, not above it, which means the yolk picks up the spice and flavor from below while staying intact on top. Pull it too early and the whites are unset. Pull it too late and the yolks go solid. The lid controls everything.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 25 min Total: 35 min Serves: 4

Ingredients

6 large eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
Crusty bread, for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet (with a lid) over medium heat. Cook the onion and bell pepper until soft and beginning to color, about 8 minutes.
Add garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
Make 6 wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon. Crack an egg into each well. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt.
Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still soft.
Remove from heat. Scatter feta and chopped herbs over the top. Serve directly from the skillet with warm crusty bread.

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