Middle Eastern
Shakshuka
Eggs poached in a spiced pepper and tomato stew, eaten straight from the pan with bread. Breakfast, lunch or a very good late dinner.
- Time
- 30 mins
- Serves
- 3
- Steps
- 7
- Ingredients
- 10
Method
- 01
Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan and cook the onion and peppers slowly for 10 minutes until soft and sweet.
- 02
Add the garlic, cumin, paprika and chilli flakes and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 03
Pour in the tomatoes, season well, and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to hold a trench when you drag a spoon through it.
- 04
Make six wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon.
- 05
Crack an egg into each well and season the tops.
- 06
Cover the pan and cook on low for 6 to 8 minutes, until the whites are just set but the yolks still wobble.
- 07
Scatter with crumbled feta and parsley and take the whole pan to the table with plenty of bread.
Cooking Tips
- Reduce the sauce until a spoon leaves a trench before the eggs go in. A loose sauce will not hold the wells.
- Cover the pan for the eggs and pull it off while the yolks still wobble.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Fresh tomatoes work in season; tinned are more reliable the rest of the year.
- Leave out the feta to make it dairy-free - the dish stands up without it.
What to Serve With It
- Take the whole pan to the table with plenty of bread.
Storage and Reheating
- Make the sauce ahead - it keeps 4 days and improves. Poach the eggs fresh.
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