Shakshuka ( شكشوكة): POACHED EGG DISH IN A TOMATO SAUCE, ORIGINATING FROM TUNISIA
I first fell in love with shakshuka after watching this video of Dr. Shakshuka in Tel-Aviv:
Since then, my love for this dish has grown exponentially—making it countless times for late night munchies or for brunch. I've touted how delicious and easy to make it is to my friends who have neither the time nor cooking experience. Here's the recipe below:
For 1 serving:
- 1 14.5 oz. can of plum tomatoes; preferably San Marzano
- 2 large eggs
- Rustic bread
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add olive oil.
- Add canned plum tomatoes and crush with spatula.
- Let tomatoes reduce and thicken for a few minutes.
- Add two large eggs and cover with the lid to steam.
- Turn off the fire and serve when eggs whites have turned opaque.
I made one for a brunch with a few friends a few weeks ago. I sautéed onions, mushrooms, and red peppers with sage, added canned plum tomatoes, cracked a few eggs on top, and garnished with leftover sage. On the bottom left, I made some red potato hash by grating a few red potatoes, an onion, and dropped an egg in there to bind things together.
Brunch at Meera's
The beautiful thing about this dish is how flexible and encompassing it is. I'm excited about trying new flavors and thus far, I've tried to make variations of this dish with cheeses, herbs, and carbs from different cuisines:
- Italian: mozzarella, basil, and rustic bread
- French: comté, sage, chive, chervil, or marjoram, and a fresh baguette
- Indian: paneer, onions, paprika, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and rice
- Spanish: manchego, red pepper, onions, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, and rice
- Mexican: queso fresco, cilantro, jalapeño, black beans, and rice
- Greek: feta, zucchini, oregano, olives, onions, and pita bread
Feel free to try those variations and let me know what combinations you try out in the comments below. Bon appétit!
I'm going to leave you with some of my favorite twists:
