Shakshuka may be at the apex of eggs-for-dinner recipes, though in Israel it is breakfast food, a bright, spicy start to the day with a pile of pita or challah served on the side. (It also makes excellent brunch or lunch food.) It’s a one-skillet recipe of eggs baked in a tomato-red pepper sauce spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne. First you make that sauce, which comes together fairly quickly on top of the stove, then you gently crack each of the eggs into the pan, nestling them into the sauce. The pan is moved into the oven to finish. Shakshuka originated in North Africa, and like many great dishes there are as many versions as there are cooks who have embraced it. This one strays from more traditional renditions by adding crumbled feta cheese, which softens into creamy nuggets in the oven’s heat.Featured in: A Rich Egg Dish That Satisfies.
Total Time50 minutesmins
Author: Melissa Clark
Ingredients
3tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
1large onionhalved and thinly sliced
1large red bell pepperseeded and thinly sliced
3garlic clovesthinly sliced
1teaspoonground cumin
1teaspoonsweet paprika
⅛teaspoonground cayenneor to taste
128-ounce can whole plum tomatoes with their juices, coarsely chopped
¾teaspoonkosher saltplus more as needed
¼teaspoonblack pepperplus more as needed
5ouncesfetacrumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
6large eggs
Chopped cilantrofor serving
Hot saucefor serving
Instructions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in crumbled feta.
Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce.