Brunch On A Budget: Shakshuka

We can’t think of a better excuse to make a mouth-watering brunch than a bank holiday weekend. Can you? Tried and tested, we wanted to share our experience of this cheap and easy-to-make, one-pan dish, fit for the whole family. Don’t forget to share your pictures with us if you choose to give it a go, we’d love to see how you get on!

 

What is it?

Shakshuka (also spelt Shakshouka or Chakhchoukha) is believed to have originated in Ottoman North Africa in the mid- 16^th Century after tomatoes were introduced to the region. This ‘New World’ ingredient was mixed with peppers, spices and herbs to create a vegetarian stew, which was later adapted to include an egg. Thus, egg shakshuka was born: a hearty yet affordable dish, which has been adapted to include more exotic ingredients – such as olives, lamb and chorizo – over the centuries. And although we will be keeping it simple on this occasion, feel free to make this dish your own.

 

Ingredients for 2-4 people

• Two large white onions, thinly sliced
• One red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 4 eggs
• 2 small chillies (of choice), thinly sliced with seeds removed
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian or smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons whole or ground cumin seed
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 cans of chopped tomatoes
• Fresh parsley for garnish
• Salt
• Pepper
• Feta cheese (optional)
• Warm crusty bread and cutter (optional)

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. Add your oil to a cast iron or heavy pan ( ideally with a lid) on a high heat.
3. Once the oil is hot, add your sliced onions and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and charred in places.

4. Add the sliced garlic and chilli and cook/ stir for 30 seconds before adding the cumin and paprika.
5. Cook for 30 more seconds and combine the chopped tomatoes.
6. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes before seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

7. Add your bread (I recommend Tiger Bread) to the oven and warm for 10 minutes.
8. When the mixture is thick, make four wells near the perimeter of the pan and gently crack eggs into them.
9. Spoon a little sauce over the egg whites and cook for 5-8 minutes with the lid on. The less you cook it, the runnier the egg yolks will be.
10. Once cooked to your liking, remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
11. In the meantime, remove the bread from the oven and slice.
12. Dish your eggs and sauce into dishes and garnish with fresh parsley and feta cheese.
13. The last and most important step of all, enjoy!