Bell Pepper

Shakshuka

by:
January 12, 2010
0
0 Ratings
Shakshuka
  • Serves 2-3
Author Notes

Shakshuka is a humble tomato, eggs and veggie stew, a staple in Israeli cuisine and each family has their own version. It easy, tasty and even healthy and you can whip it up from things you probably have at home. For me it is just the taste of home. Dress down using just onion, tomatoes and eggs or if you want something more substantial you can add sausages (Merguez will work well). Make sure you have good bread to eat with and clean the skillet. My special twist is mixing the whites into the veggie mix while keeping the yolks whole, that's my dad way. Great for brunch as well. —Cordelia

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/2 big onion, diced
  • 1-1 1/2 bell pepper, diced
  • 1-2 Jalapeño pepper, diced small (depends on spicy you like your like)
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon of paprika
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce can)
  • 1-2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped
  • 1.5 teaspoons of salt
  • Black pepper
  • 4 eggs
  • 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
Directions
  1. Add the oil to a 10 inch skillet which has a lead. On medium high heat saute the onion for 4-5 minutes until transparent and starting to brown.
  2. Add the bell peppers and saute for another 5 minutes or so until soft.
  3. Add the garlic and mix for few seconds. Add the tomato paste, cumin, paprika, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix and saute for a little to caramelize the paste a bit.
  4. Add the parsley and diced tomatoes. Mix and cook on a medium-low heat for few minutes to evaporate some of the liquids and for the flavors to mix. Taste for salt (needs to be a bit on the salty side since you'll add the eggs next).
  5. Make a little indentation in the mixture for each egg and carefully break each of them into the holes keeping the yolks whole. You can cook it like that or mix gently the whites into the veggie mixture around the yolks without breaking them. Cook for 5-7 minutes and then cover the skillet partially and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the whites are cooked and the yolks still partially runny.
  6. Eat with Challah or good crusty bread.
Tags:
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • pierino
    pierino
  • WinnieAb
    WinnieAb
  • aargersi
    aargersi
  • Robin22
    Robin22

Popular on Food52

8 Reviews

pierino
pierino March 27, 2011
While under the name "shakshuka" this dish certainly passed through N. Africa on its way to Israel. But remember that the tomato is a New World fruit and came to Europe with Colombus. It took centuries for it to be accepted as food. But it took serious root in Naples where production thrived in the 1830's. I don't remember Colombus making any side trips to Libya. However Libya did become an Italian colony after the turn of the 20th Century. There had been an almost identical dish In Naples, Eggs in Purgartory, so I think following the progress of the tomato, New World to Old World to N. Africa and the Levant that no matter if you call it Shakshuka, it passed through Spain on to Italy and onwards. Pretty basic; eggs poached in tomato sauce. But first you need to have the tomatoes.
 
WinnieAb
WinnieAb March 26, 2011
I was under the impression that the origin of Shakshuka is actually N. Africa...
 
WinnieAb
WinnieAb March 26, 2011
And I meant for this comment to be a reply to pierino...
 
Robin22
Robin22 March 26, 2011
Just made this for brunch, without the sugar or tomato paste. It was so good that I had to stop eating to email the recipe to friends!
 
pierino
pierino January 12, 2010
While I know that this is a popular dish in Israel, and it came to Israel from Libya, I'm absolutely convinced that its
origins are in Naples based on the historic trajectory of the tomato from the New World to Spain and on to Italy where it flourished in partenopean volcanic soil. In Naples this dish is known as "eggs in purgatory." I should know, that's the name of my blog. My educated guess is that this dish arrived in Libya with Mussolini's boys. From there it probably moved to Israel. The tomato industry in Naples dates back to the 1830's.
 
dada
dada January 2, 2011
You are wrong. Check your history books.
 
aargersi
aargersi January 12, 2010
This sounds really delicious and quick and easy too ... hmmm ... I might have it for breakfast today!!!
 
pierino
pierino January 12, 2010
In fact "eggs in purgatory" which is what it really is, does make a great breakfast.