Easy Shakshuka, A Classic Israeli Breakfast

July 23, 2014

Serves 2-3

active:
15 min

total:
30 min

At pretty much any cafe you stop by in Jerusalem (and plenty of meat restaurants as well), you'll see shakshuka on the menu. It's a dish of North African origin that consists of eggs cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. Sounds simple? It is, but it's also delicious, cheap and great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

It's originally a fairly spicy dish, but it is easy to tone that up or down depending on your preference. My recipe calls for a can of crushed tomatoes, but you can start with fresh, you'll just need a lot longer to cook them down into a sauce. Classically, this dish is made in a cast iron skillet (which makes it easier to finish off in the oven), but just a regular old frying pan will work too.

Amy Spiro is a journalist and writer based in Jerusalem. She is a graduate of the Jerusalem Culinary Institute's baking and pastry track, a regular writer for The Jerusalem Post and blogs at bakingandmistaking.com. She also holds a BA in Journalism and Politics from NYU.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 small chili pepper, diced (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon spicy paprika or chili pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 to 3 eggs

Steps

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until the onions have started to brown, 10-15 minutes.
Add in the chili pepper and garlic and stir to mix, cooking for about two minutes.
Add the tomatoes and stir to mix. Let cook until the sauce begins to bubble, about five minutes. Cook until slightly thickened, another five to seven minutes. Stir in the spices.
Make two or three indentations in the skillet with a wooden spoon. Crack an egg into each indentation. Cover the pan and cook until the eggs are cooked through, five to seven minutes, depending on your doneness preference.
Serve hot, preferably with bread.