Shakshuka comes from Middle Eastern cooking but has taken root worldwide thanks to its simplicity: the eggs are poached straight in an aromatic tomato sauce with vegetables and spices. It is both light and filling, made for breakfast as readily as for a quick supper.

The recipe was shared by the culinary section of gazeta.pl; in August it is worth making with fresh tomatoes.

The dish's main strength is pairing cheap ingredients with a very rich aroma. Tomatoes bring freshness, sweet pepper brings sweetness, and the spices draw out the character of the whole pan. The eggs add protein, so it keeps you full for a long time.

Shakshuka: what you will need

This serves two. Use a deep pan — it holds heat evenly and lets the vegetables braise without drying out.

  • 3 eggs
  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 1 red sweet pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tablespoon of oil
  • salt, black pepper
  • sweet paprika
  • hot paprika — to taste
  • cumin
  • 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley
Shakshuka with parsley
The eggs go into the sauce once it has thickened. Photo: Freepik @tksonique

How to cook it

  1. Wash the vegetables. Dice the pepper and onion, crush the garlic. Scald the tomatoes, peel off the skins and chop.
  2. Fry the onion in hot oil, then add the garlic, pepper and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and cumin.
  3. Simmer covered over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. Remove the lid at the end so the excess water evaporates — this is what decides whether the sauce is thick or watery.
  5. Scatter over the parsley, make three wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each.
  6. Cover the pan again and cook for a few minutes until the whites set and the yolks stay runny.
  7. Take off the heat and serve immediately.
Shakshuka with vegetables
Courgettes, aubergines and cherry tomatoes can be added to the base. Photo: Freepik @timolina

A proper shakshuka has a thick sauce and a runny yolk that mixes with the tomatoes when cut. Serve it straight from the pan with bread or pita — the sauce needs mopping up. In summer use fresh tomatoes; out of season, tinned ones in their own juice work well.

Nota bene

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