By Michele
Bring a taste from North Africa home with a shakshuka recipe. A tasty dish that originated in Tunisia is also a favorite in the Middle East as well. It’s the ultimate one pot comfort food. And, during this pandemic, one pot meals are all the rage!
Shakshuka consists of simple ingredients that you may have in your pantry. When I decided to make this dish, I had the required ingredients on hand, along with the star of shashuka, eggs, which are a staple in my refrigerator.
A big advantage of shakshuka is easy prep. You can whip it up in about 30 minutes. (I’m sure Rachel Ray has one in her thirty-minute meal repertoire.) The simple yet bold flavor and spices delight your palate and in turn you may find that there is no better way to eat eggs!
To maximize the pleasure of this dish I suggest that you enjoy it with warmed French/Italian bread to soak up the rich tomato sauce in which the eggs are cooked. If you don’t have a baguette on hand, any bread will serve as the perfect vehicle to sop up the delicious sauce. I added a little butter on the bread which gave a creamy texture to the sauce. Shakshuka is typically enjoyed for breakfast. Though you can serve it for Sunday brunch or, as I did, for dinner. Either way, you have a healthy and satisfying meal that you and your guests will love. Here is the recipe I followed with a couple of my own twists.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon pepper
½ - 1 teaspoon chili powder
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
4 eggs
1/3 cup crumbled feta
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Preparation
Heat oil in cast iron skillet or heavy skillet. Add onion, pepper and garlic and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add all spices and stir until the mixture is softened and the vegetables are coated with the spices, about 1 minute. Add can of tomatoes. Cook until mixture is thickened, stirring occasionally, 3-5 minutes.
With back of spoon make 4 wells in the shakshuka and break an egg into each well. Cover and cook until egg whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 4-6 minutes.
Sprinkle on feta cheese and parsley.
Note: If you would like to add bacon, pre-cook 4 slices, chop and add to top of finished dish.
If serving over spaghetti, cook ½ pound at same time you are preparing shakshuka.
These first three photos show the shakshuka sauce cooking prior to adding the eggs, after the eggs were added, and the finished product.
The next two photo show my twist on the dish, which was topping the shakshuka with crispy bacon, then placing a portion of the shakshuka (along with an egg) over spaghetti! Yes, that’s right, spaghetti. My mouth was watering as I waited to dive in, and I was not disappointed. The pasta absorbed the sauce and when I scored the egg it ran into the sauce and over the pasta. It was so delightfully luscious that it’s hard to describe the taste sensation. Try it! You won’t be disappointed. Please, don’t forget the bread, it’s a must!
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