From the Kitchen No. 10

Shakshuka

A dish of Tunisian origin, this easy but impressive meal puts a delicious Middle Eastern spin on otherwise ordinary baked eggs. Serve with a simple fresh salad and plenty of crusty bread. For a heartier version, fry up a few Merguez sausages and add to the tomato sauce along with half a teaspoon of harissa and a sprinkling of lemon zest.

Ingredients

— 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
— 1 large onion, cut into 1/2″ wedges
— 2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into 1/2″ thickness
— 3 garlic cloves, minced
— 1 1/2 tsp whole cumin, dry, toasted, and ground
— 1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
— 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
— 1/8 tsp cayenne
— 1 28 oz can of whole plum tomatoes with juices, crushed well by hand
— 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled into generous bite size pieces
— 4 to 5 eggs
— handful of rough;y chopped parsley for garnish
— salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375°. Heat a large skillet or cast iron on medium high heat. Add olive oil and onions and sauté for a minute. Add red bell pepper and continue to sauté until the vegetables become nicely caramelized with some seared spots. Add minced garlic and spices.

Once the spices bloom in the oil, add tomatoes and mix. Season to taste and simmer gently until tomato sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.

Sprinkle feta cheese and make 4 to 5 indentations in the sauce. Crack an egg in each indentation and season with salt and pepper. Drag a fork through the edges of the egg whites so they mingle with the sauce.

If finishing on the stovetop, cover skillet and simmer on very gentle heat for 7 — 9 minutes, or until eggs are done to your liking. If finishing in the oven, place oven-proof skillet without a lid in the oven and bake for 10 — 12 minutes. Check the skillet early to avoid overcooking eggs. Serve with crusty bread.

Yield

3 — 4 servings.