Shakshuka
Eggs gently poached in a thick, cumin-scented sauce of tomatoes, peppers and onion, finished with crumbled feta and fresh herbs.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion and pepper, stirring, until soft and sweet.
- 2
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- 3
Stir in the cumin, paprika, cayenne and tomato paste and cook until the paste darkens slightly.
- 4
Add the tomatoes, salt and sugar, if using, and simmer, stirring now and then, until a spoon drawn through leaves a clear trail.
- 5
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning.
- 6
Make 8 hollows in the sauce with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each.
- 7
Sprinkle the eggs with a pinch of salt, cover the pan and cook over low heat until the whites are set and the yolks still wobble.
- 8
Scatter with feta and parsley and serve from the pan with bread for dipping.
Notes
- Crack each egg into a cup first, then slide it into its hollow. Any broken yolk stays out of the pan.
- If the whites near the yolks are slow to set, spoon a little hot sauce over them.
- A spoonful of harissa stirred into the sauce adds heat and depth.
Equipment
Large frying pan (30 cm) with a lid