Easy Shakshuka
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1-2 large red bell pepper, chopped
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 teaspoon ground (roman) cumin
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon chilli pepper flakes
2 can crushed tomatoes
1 bunch fresh coriander (+1 more for garnish)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 large eggs
150-200g crumbled feta
Crusty bread or pita, for serving
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 200° C.
2. Warm the oil in a large, oven-safe pan (preferably stainless steel) over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the onion and cook until it gets tender and turns translucent, add 1 clove of garlic, and the bell pepper, and season it with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the peppers get soft it is also fine if you let them burn a bit.
3. Add the remaining garlic cloves, tomato paste, cumin, paprika and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until nice and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes with their juices and add the cilantro. Stir, and let the mixture come to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook it until it gets thicker to give the flavours time to meld.
4. Turn off the heat. Taste (careful, it’s hot), and add salt and pepper as necessary. 5. Stir the feta cubes into the sauce.
5. Use the back of a spoon to make separate wells for the eggs and crack the eggs one by one directly into them. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the eggs.
6. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, checking often once you reach 8 minutes. They’re done when the egg whites are an opaque white and the yolks have risen a bit but are still soft. They should still jiggle in the centres when you shimmy the pan. (Keep in mind that they’ll continue cooking after you pull the dish out of the oven.)
7. Using oven mitts (both hands!), transfer the hot skillet to a heat-safe surface like the stove. Top with fresh coriander leaves, and more chilli pepper flakes, if desired. Serve in bowls with crusty bread on the side.
