Shakshuka
Author & Photographer: Ella Anderson
Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern dish-- essentially just eggs and tomatoes with different ingredients added in for flavor. There are countless versions of it, but this is a basic recipe perfect for adaptation. Whether you’re looking to cook brunch, dinner or a late-night snack, shakshuka is always a delicious option. It’s simple and only takes about an hour to make, with very minimal work involved. The recipe I used is Melissa Clark’s from The New York Times, but I made some substitutions. She recommends using all plum tomatoes, but I think a mix of plum and cherry is the way to go – the cherry tomatoes have an excellent texture and add sweetness to the shakshuka. I also used a bit more feta cheese (because there is no such thing as too much cheese). The spices make the dish especially bright, but don’t worry if you don’t have them in your cabinet - this shakshuka is versatile and equally delicious even if the spices are left out. I like shakshuka best served with hot toast and a shockingly large amount of cilantro. Since this recipe is for 4-6 people, invite your friends over to share because it doesn’t keep well, or alternatively, it pares down quite well to make a smaller portion.
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion
1 red bell pepper
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin*
1 teaspoon sweet paprika*
1/8 teaspoon cayenne*
1-14 ounce can of cherry tomatoes
1 -4 ounce can of plum tomatoes
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
6 large eggs
chopped cilantro
hot sauce, for serving (optional)
toast, for serving
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell pepper, both chopped thinly. Cook until soft, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in tomatoes and mash around, splitting up the plum tomatoes. Add salt and pepper. Simmer until the tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in crumbled feta.
Crack eggs into the pan over tomatoes, spacing them evenly. Add salt and pepper to taste and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the eggs are just set (or bake to firmness according to personal preference), 7 to 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce and toast.