Shakshuka
This is one of my favorite dishes and for those who know me and see my social media posts, you will note that I make it frequently. It is a typical Libyan dish, often served for breakfast but I like it at any time of the day! The more vegetables you add, the more of a “main dish” it becomes, as opposed to a breakfast dish. Normally, this dish is eaten with bread to scoop up the delicious sauce. So as not to need the bread, I usually throw in a lot of vegetables that soak the sauce up, making it that much more yummy!
Ingredients
- 5-6 eggs
- 4 Cups chopped tomatoes or 2 cans of unsweetened diced tomatoes
- 2-3 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/2 Medium onion diced
- 1 Medium red bell pepper sliced
- 1 large zucchini sliced
- 1/2-1 Cup water
- 1/2-1 Tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/2-1 Tsp. paprika
- 1 2-1 Tbsp. cilantro chopped you can use oregano or parsley
- +/- 1 clove minced garlic
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in saucepan. If you are using onions, sauté the onions until they soften and then add the garlic, cayenne pepper and paprika.
- Add in the tomatoes, stir, simmer at medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
- Add in the vegetables, stir, simmer for 5 or so minutes, until the vegetables become softer.
- Add in the tomato paste and 1⁄2 cup of water. Stir so that it liquefies, but not too much (slightly stays thick). Lower the flame and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes to let the vegetables cook through. If the sauce gets too thick, add more water as necessary.
- Crack the eggs open, one at a time, and drop onto the sauce, making sure to space them evenly. Cover the saucepan for about 5-7 minutes or until you start to see the white cooking. Uncover the saucepan and let the eggs cook through to your liking (I like the yolks run), usually for another 5-7 minutes. Keep on eye on the pan as you do not want to burn the sauce or overcook the eggs.
- Add salt to taste and add the cilantro or parsley for garnish.
Notes
You can use any type of vegetable you like. Enjoy!