Historically, Shakshouka has roots to North Africa, which covers a large piece of geography. The word Shakshouka translates to, "all mixed up" and it is! A perfect recipe for using ingredients you likely have on hand - or - can easily substitute.
There are three ingredients that are the stars: eggs, tomatoes, and spices! I offer a general recipe below, as well as possible substitutes. Be creative, courageous, and glow in the kudos from your grateful consumers.
Despite the ideal of serving this dish with soft eggs, if you have left overs just reheat on the stove (not the microwave) and the eggs will be transformed to hard and just as delicious.
Irish Shakshouka
Ingredients: Serving of 2 people @ 2 eggs each for a total of 4 eggs, takes 20 minutes only.
In a skillet, non-stick shown here, heat up the spices. Just until warm to wake them up. If they smoke that's too much. Just remove pan from stove to reduce the heat quickly.
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
Add:
1 Tablespoon cannola or a clear oil
1 Tablespoon dried onion or 1/2 small chopped onion
1/2 chopped green pepper
1/2 chopped red pepper (if you have or double green)
Bring to rolling bubble until peppers soften about 3 minutes
Add:
1 clove chopped garlic (adding it too soon causes overcooking and bitterness)
Cook until you smell the garlic 1 minute or less.
Add:
One 14 ounce can tomato sauce, or chopped tomatoes, or tomato with chiles. This is whatever you have on hand. I used the Hunts below, but use only 1/2 can. Bring ingredients to bubble and cook 5 minutes.
Add:
4 eggs one at a time by breaking into a bowl 1 by 1 and place in a dent in the sauce you will make with a spatula. Lower the heat slightly and cover the frying pan with a lid. Let the eggs steam for 6 minutes you want them to be soft with juice ideally. Remove from heat.
To Serve top with:
Pieces of feta, or goat cheese, or pieces of cream cheese. Add fresh herbs if you have them parsley,
basil, or anything green. Serve with toasted garlic bread or crusty Italian bread. I buy mine at Dollar Tree - 6 for $1 for Texas Toast in the frozen section.
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| Can you tell the cream cheese blobs from the goat cheese? Me Neither! |
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| Tomatoes 14 oz. whatever you have on hand. Spice up if needed. I used the Hunts. |
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| Toast spices in dry pan to wake them up! |
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| Add oil and dried onion. |
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| Chopped peppers red and green or whatever you have. |
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| Goat cheese may not be in your fridge - cream cheese chunks worked fine! |
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| Make hole in sauce for each egg you drop in from a bowl to avoid shells. |
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| Where did the eggs go?! Leftover sauce for squirrelly. |
