Shakshouka

• servings: 4
• active time: 20
• total time: 35

Ingredients

(See notes for more Shakshuka variations!)

28 oz can of peeled san marzano tomatoes

1/2 of a large yellow onion, diced or thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced or thinly sliced (bonus points for fire roasted)

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons of cumin

1.5 teaspoons of cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons of smoked paprika

1 tablespoon harissa (optional)

4 eggs

cilantro

feta cheese

olive oil (regular, not virgin) or some other cooking oil

Toasted Pita

Directions

1) Heat a high walled pan approximately 10-12 inches across over medium heat. Add the olive oil.

2) Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions and cook until just beginning to become translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and continue to cook until the onions begin to somewhat caramelize.

3) Add the garlic, cumin and cayenne powder. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4) Add the entire can of tomatoes, the harissa, and the smoked paprika. Crush the tomatoes using a wooden spoon or spatula until no pieces larger than a bite sized piece exist. Alternatively, add the tomatoes to a bowl first and crush the tomatoes in-between your fingers.

5) Allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes to build flavor.

6) Make small wells within the mixture for each egg. Crack the eggs into the mixture carefully, then spoon a small amount of the surrounding tomato mixture around the sides of the egg to cover the whites.

7) Cover with lid or aluminum foil and allow the eggs to cook at low heat. After 5 minutes, check the eggs. They are cooked once they are white and opaque yet quite jiggly when poked with a finger.

8) Top with cilantro, feta cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve and enjoy with crusty, toasted bread!

Notes

1) Shakshuka is originally from North Africa, but it is a dish that is really easy to play with the ingredients to make different regional variations of. Some recommendations:

- Remove the harissa, swap out the feta cheese for queso fresco or cotija cheese, add chorizo, and serve with tortillas to have a Mexican version.

- Remove the hirissa, add Italian sausage, some fresh basil, swap the cilantro for parsley, and serve with garlic bread or ciabatta to get an Italian version.

- Swap the harissa for gochujang, trade the cayenne for gochugaru, add some soy sauce, and you have a Korean version you can enjoy over rice.