Shakshuka

When I went to Israel the first time, I asked friends of mine, what to see and what to do and Mr. Shakshuka in Tel Aviv Jaffa was one of the recommendations. Since I didn’t had any knowledge about the Israelian kitchen I didn’t know this was also the name of a traditionally dish, so when I arrived at that restaurant, I was mildly surprised. Shakshuka in different variations was the main part of the menu and it was not so easy to decide for one. For the Blog I decided to take a basic recipe, which you can vary easily with adding meat, feta, seafood, tofu or whatever you like and try out to add other spices.

What you need: 

(Since it is more common in Europe I use grams and litres, but feel free to go to this site and convert it to the measurements you’re familiar with.)

2 bell peppers (mostly because I like the aesthetic most, I usually use one yellow and one red)
1/2 can sieved tomatoes (around 200g, you also can add cut fresh tomatoes when you like)
2 eggs
1 onion
1 garlic glove
cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, pepper (of course you can add more or change it when you prefer other spices)
1-2 teaspoons oil for the pan

Chop the garlic, onions and bell pepper and put it into the heated oil in the pan. Add the spices.

Cook it for about 5 minutes and stir it occasionally.

Add the sieved tomatoes for the sauce. Let it boil, then reduce the heat, cover it and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. To thicken the sauce I usually uncover it the last minutes.

Now you should make two holes for the eggs in the thickened sauce and put in each one egg. Cover the pan and let the eggs under low or medium-low heat cook. Some use the oven for it, I prefer the stove.

When the eggs are white, you are finished. Take it of the stove (or out of the oven), and when you like, add some chopped parsley as decoration and serve it with some fresh, maybe even hot bread. Thats how I love it most.

For myself I am normally fine with two eggs. I once saw a young Israelian eat it with 4 or even more eggs, and of course it depends what you eat next to it. It is classified as breakfast, but also I saw it eaten all day and I definitely doesn’t eat it as breakfast. 😀