shakshuka

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone is enjoying time with family and friends, slowing down and enjoying the small moments of this crazy time. I finally got around to making this famous dish! If you are looking for a new brunch dish, then give this a go. There are lots of variations of this dish but it basically consists of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion and garlic and is commonly spiced with cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. This dish is a common breakfast staple in Israel as well as North Africa and the Middle East. This recipe comes from Deliciously Ella The Plant-Based Cookbook and you can opt to substitute an avocado for an egg to make it vegan.

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side

Ingredients

1 large onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, sliced

olive oil

1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 x 400g can of diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato puree

salt and pepper

To serve

100g plain yoghurt

handful of cilantro or parsley

Optional

Avocado or eggs

Creating the Magic!

1. Place the onion and garlic in a pan over a medium heat with a little drizzle of olive oil, cover with a lid and sweat for 10-15 minutes until soft.

2. Add the red pepper and spices and cook for a further 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, 200ml of water and some salt and pepper. Bring everything to the boil before reducing the temperature and leaving it to simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, until thick and rich.

3. If you would like to poach some eggs, use your large spoon to make small wells in the sauce and crack the eggs into each well. Cover the pan and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the eggs are done to your liking.

4. Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve with a dollop of yoghurt.

Tips

If you're not dairy-free, crumbled feta or goat cheese on top is delicious addition. Traditionally it's also served with pita, but I love to serve it with slices of home-made sourdough and/or avocado.

This also makes a lovely sauce so if you have extra, store it in the fridge and use another day.

Many photos online show shakshuka cooked in a cast iron pan. However, it should be noted that tomatoes are acidic and as a result they may erode the seasoning on your cast iron pan as well as dull the finish. You may also get a slight metallic flavor to the dish. So if possible, opt for a stainless steel pan.