Shakshuka
The perfect candidate for a family breakfast or brunch
If you haven’t come across it before, SHAKSHUKA is a delicious dish originally from Tunisia but also very popular throughout the Middle East - and more recently and not surprisingly, in many other parts of the world too.
Gently simmering eggs in a flavourful tomato-based sauce with hints of garlic, smoked paprika and cumin, makes SHAKSHUKA a very comforting and moreish dish. It’s also very easy and speedy to make, and because it’s so packed full of flavour, all you’ll need to serve it with is some nice crusty bread or toast.
Usually made with tomatoes and capsicums, as in today’s recipe, SHAKSHUKA is very versatile and can also include other vegetables or pulses, such as lentils and eggplant - with the ‘Green Shakshuka’ variation using leafy and other green vegetables to replace the traditional tomato-based sauce.
This means once you become familiar with the recipe, you’ll be able to swap and change ingredients to find your favourite combinations, as well as reduce food waste by using up what you’ve got at home, including leftover cooked veggies, such as potatoes, or frozen ones, like spinach and peas. It’s also common to see crumbled feta, yoghurt or fresh coriander added to the final dish.
The recipe below serves 2 people, but it’s easily scaled up - just make sure to use a pan or dish big enough to fit all your cracked eggs comfortably.
If making this recipe at a learning setting, it would probably be a lot easier to transfer the sauce once it’s ready to an oven-proof dish or divide it among individual ramekins or muffin trays; then add the eggs and bake it in a pre-heated oven instead.
SHAKSHUKA
Serves 2
½ onion, peeled and finely chopped
½ red capsicum, deseeded and finely diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
Pinch chilli flakes (optional)
½ can chopped tomatoes
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
Olive oil (or substitute)
Fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)
Method:
1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small frying pan and add the onion, capsicum and garlic. Cook over a medium heat until soft, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the cumin, smoked paprika and the chilli flakes (if using) and cook for a further 30 seconds.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and crush any large bits with a wooden spoon or spatula, stirring occasionally, until sauce becomes thicker and glossier. Taste seasoning and adjust if needed.
4. Using a spoon, make two ‘holes’ in the sauce and carefully break one egg into each hole. Now, using a fork, stir some of the white into the sauce, being careful not to break the yolk (see picture). Lightly season each egg yolk with a tiny sprinkle of salt.
5. If you’ve a lid available, cover the pan – this will help create steam inside the frying pan and cook eggs quicker and more evenly. If you don’t have a lid, try placing a flat tray on top instead.
6. Let it simmer for about 3-4 minutes and carefully lift the lid to check if egg whites are set. If not done yet, replace lid for an extra couple of minutes, or until eggs are cooked to your desired consistency.
7. Remove eggs from the heat, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and sprinkle the chopped parsley (if using).
