When I was in India of all places I fell in love with shakshouka. Eggs poached in a spicy, smoky tomato sauce with peppers and mmm. It’s a dish often eaten in Tunisia, Morrocco, Egypt and Israel and there are many variations. From the addition of spicy sausage, to salty local cheeses, potatoes, beans, and on and on. There are some really good versions of the dish in Northern India that I found, so many Israeli people travel there and it is common to see their cuisine mixed in with the local fare. Which is a blessing when you can’t stomach another curry.
It’s really handy to make some extra sauce and throw it in the freezer for a rainy day. This is real comfort food and so easy to whip up once your sauce is made. All you need to do is get it nice and hot and poach your eggs in the sweet smoky spicy sauce until the yolks are perfectly runny. Their yellow richness pairs beautifully with the tomatoey essence.
If your a bread eater, serve it up with a crusty piece of sourdough. We ate ours with this Tahini Rosemary Bread and it was a great combination. I also added some ground beef to up the protein, sausage or bacon would be really nice too. Can’t wait to make this dish during tomato season with a nice homemade sauce, all the better.
Blessings on your table
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 2 Tbs tomato paste
- 4 eggs
- ½ red or yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 hot pepper of your choice, finely chopped
- 1 sweet pepper, sliced
- ½ lb ground beef
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne (less if you don't love spicy)
- parsley, green onion or cilantro for garnish
- himalayan salt and pepper to taste
- Heat up your cast iron skillet on medium, melting a bit of beef tallow or coconut oil to coat the pan.
- Sautee the sliced onion and garlic until translucent, add beef and cover for a few minutes. Once the ground beef has released it's juices add your spices.
- Next add your peppers, crushed tomatoes and paste. If you think it maybe to thick for your liking add a bit of water.
- Cook covered for about 7 minutes.
- Add your eggs gently in to the sauce, let them cook for about 4 minutes with the cover on for a nice runny yolk.
- Season with salt and pepper.
