If you dish up with some Shakshuka (we are obsessed with the name!) for brunch today, you are bound to impress even your most foodie of guests or family members.
If you frequently visit gorgeous food-blogs from near and far, you will no doubt have heard about this currently very trendy dish, but have you actually tried cooking these baked and awesome eggs before?
The beauty of this dish, who is thought to have originated in North Africa, is that it is actually far quicker and easier to make than what it looks. Meaning you can look as if you really have your life and cooking mojo together when, in reality, you just changed out of you dressing gown! Peeerfect.
Skakshuka is basically a one-skillet recipe of eggs baked in a tomato-red pepper sauce spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne. First you make that sauce, which comes together quickly on top of the stove, then you gently crack each of the eggs into the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Then move the pan into the oven to finish. Done.
See how easy it is? The dish is also warming, comforting and perfect for lazy Sunday brunches. Note that the sauce can also be made in advance, and just warmed up at your convenience.
The egg-timing, though, is important. You want to make sure the whites are set, but that they yolks are still runny. Which leads itself to the next essential: Bread. Chunky, gorgeous, rustic slices of bread are a match made in foodie heaven for shakshuka – perfect for dipping in and soaking up all the tasty flavour.
This is what you ned:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 large red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
- 1 can of whole plum tomatoes with juices, coarsely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt, more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
- 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 6 large eggs
- Chopped coriander, for serving
- Hot sauce, for serving
This is what you do:
Heat oven to 225 degrees.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in crumbled feta.
Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with hot sauce.
Brunch is served! (Don’t forget the bread – nobody cares about carbs on a Sunday!)
(Recipe via Bonnie Mo)
