This is a Middle Eastern version of baked eggs that is spicy and satisfying. It is of course delicious for breakfast or brunch as is tradition but is equally satisfying to have for dinner. If you are a freezer fiend like myself to save yourself time during busy weeks, cook up a double batch of sauce and pop in the freezer. Defrost in the morning or the night before, add your eggs, pop in the oven and you have a quick and delicious meal. You can serve them with any kind of flat bread or turkish bread you have on hand and a few dollops of yoghurt or labne (middle eastern strained yoghurt cheese – see my recipe here) and some fresh herbs. I often make a big dish because it is easier but this is a great one to do in individual oven pots if you are having friends around for breakfast.
Shakshuka Recipe
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olive oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 red or yellow capsicums, sliced into strips
2 tsp ground cumin
6 medium ripe red tomatoes, roughly chopped OR 1 x 400g can diced tomatoes
4 tsp brown sugar
Splash red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
4 free range or organic eggs
To serve:
a few dollops of creamy greek yoghurt or labne (homemade or store bought – find the recipe here)
pinch cayenne pepper or flaked chilli (optional)
roughly chopped fresh herbs such as coriander and parsley
toasted pita bread or turkish bread
Heat a frying pan and saute the onions until just turning brown. Add the capsicum and cook for a couple minutes. Add the cumin and fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and a splash or two of water so it doesn’t become dry. Stir and cook for about 15minutes until the capsicum are soft and the sauce is the consistency of a pasta sauce. Your sauce is now ready.
You have 2 options to cook the eggs. You can either crack the eggs directly into the sauce and put a lid on the pan and gently cook them on the stove for about 10-12minutes. Or you can put your sauce into an oven proof dish, make a few indentations for the eggs and then bake it in the oven at 180 degrees celsius for about 10-15minutes or until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft in the middle.
Notes:
Keep an eye on your sauce and add a bit more water if it becomes too dry as it cooks.
Serves 4.
