Shakshuka is a popular breakfast in North Africa and the Middle East. You will need a deep pan with a lid, a few vegetables and eggs.

The shakshuka recipe was shared by American food writer Jeanine Donofrio of the Love & Lemons blog.

First a thick sauce of onion, sweet pepper, garlic and tomatoes is cooked in the pan, and only then are the eggs cooked in it. How long they stay under the lid decides how runny the yolks will be.

What you need

Serves 4:

  • olive oil, 2 tbsp;
  • small white onion, 1;
  • red bell pepper, 1;
  • garlic, 3 cloves;
  • ground cumin, 1 tsp;
  • paprika, ½ tsp;
  • cayenne pepper, a pinch, optional;
  • fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, 1 can (about 800 g);
  • sea salt, ½ tsp and to taste;
  • freshly ground black pepper;
  • large eggs, 6;
  • fresh parsley or coriander, a small handful;
  • feta, about 40 g;
  • pita, to serve.

How to cook

1. Fry the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large lidded pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and pepper and cook for 5–8 minutes until soft.

2. Add the spices. Add the minced garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne if using, and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

3. Cook the sauce. Add the tomatoes, salt and several grinds of black pepper. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.

4. Add the eggs. Make six wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook for 4–8 minutes, depending on how you like your yolks.

5. Serve. Season to taste, top with herbs and crumbled feta and serve with pita.

As a reminder, the day before Smachna Bucha cooked Hungarian goulash.

Nota bene

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