Shakshouka, which simply and deceptively translates to “mixture” from Arabic, is indeed a mixture, but oh, what a mixture it is! A breakfast and dinner dish of North African origin that has also become very popular in Israel, shakshouka is similar to uova in purgatorio (eggs in purgatory) from Italy and menemen from Turkey.
The basics; eggs cooked on a bed of tomato sauce. Every cook has their own rendition and I encourage you to play with this recipe by adding things like potatoes, artichoke hearts, chilies, and any spices you enjoy. I go traditional with the addition of smoked paprika to round out what is a really fine tomato sauce…mildly garlicky with hints of cumin and full of sweet bell pepper. Don’t forget the sugar to take the edge off of the tomatoes. At minimum, serve this with some bread to sop up the sauce after you’re done with the eggs. If you’re feeling really ambitious, go big and serve up an Israeli Breakfast which would include some hummus, baba ganoush, olives, sliced cucmbers and radishes, yogurt, and so on.
(I know, 5 eggs instead of 6. It still worked.)
SHAKSHOUKA
Ingredients
2 tbs. olive oil 1 sm. onion, diced 1 lg. red bell pepper, seeded and diced 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. smoked paprika 1 tsp. chili powder (I use ancho chili powder) 1 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes with juice (I use San Marzanos) 2 tbs. tomato paste ¼ tsp. sugar Salt and pepper to taste 6 large eggs Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish Crumbled feta cheese, for garnish Hot pepper sauce
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the olive oil and swirl the pan.
4. Add the onion and red bell pepper and saute until softened.
5. Add the garlic and saute briefly until fragrant.
6. Add the cumin, paprika, and chili powder and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, and sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir well. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook until the sauce thickens.
8. Using a metal spoon or ladle, make 6 indentations on the surface of the sauce.
9. Break an egg and pour into an indentation. Repeat for each indentation.
10.Place in the oven, and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the eggs are set to your taste.
To serve: Using a spoon or wide ladle, scoop out an egg and surrounding sauce and place on a plate. Garnish with parsley and feta cheese. Allow your guests to add pepper sauce to taste.
…to drink from a porrón? No? Once you get the hang of this Catalonian pitcher you’ll want to pour and pour and pour! I suggest a bib your first time, but with a little practice you’ll be astounding your friends and family! Here I am at my Calçotada demonstrating the finer points (and enjoying some very nice Spanish wine)…
Photo by Chris Graves
“…and drank out of a dreadful thing called a porrón. A
porrón is a sort of glass bottle with a pointed spout from which a thin jet of wine spurts out whenever you tip it up; you can thus drink from a distance, without touching it with your lips, and it can be passed from hand to hand.” ~ George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia
