Shakshuka (Baked eggs)

 Pronounced Shak-SHOO-kah, this dish is a vibrant reflection of its Middle Eastern and North African roots. Shakshuka, meaning "a mixture" or "shaken" in Arabic, consists of softly cooked eggs, gently poached or braised in a hearty chunky tomato sauce. It's versatile, allowing for a vegetarian serving or the addition of meats like chorizo, speck, or even leftover roast lamb. True to its name, it's a dish that invites creativity with whatever ingredients are on hand. While commonly served for breakfast, it's perfectly suited for any meal.

When I serve Shakshuka for a lazy Sunday brunch, I love to crumble marinated goat's feta over the top before baking. This salty, creamy addition elevates the dish beautifully.

There's no definitive way to serve this delightful dish, but I firmly believe that bread is a must-have accompaniment. Shakshuka can be prepared on the stovetop, over a campfire, or in the oven. It's adaptable for individual servings or made in a large pan to feed a group, making it wonderfully scalable. For a detailed step-by-step guide, check out our YouTube channel at the link below!

Serves 2

• 200 g (½ can) crushed tomatoes

• ½ red onion, finely sliced

• 1 small clove garlic, minced

• 50 g red capsicum, finely diced

• 2 button mushrooms, finely diced

• ½ tomato, diced

• 125 g cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (½ can)

• 2 tsp tomato paste

• 125 ml water

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 eggs

• 2 tbl finely chopped parsley, to serve

• Crusty bread

Preheat oven to 190°C fan/210°C.

In a large frypan, heat the oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook until soft. Add the capsicum and mushroom and cook for 1 minute, then add the fresh tomato and cook another minute.

Add the canned tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, water, paprika, cumin, pepper, cayenne and salt. Stir gently so as not to break up the beans. Cook for 5 minutes until just thick enough to make indentations.

If making individual serves, transfer into oven proof wide ramekins.

Using a large spoon, make an indentation in the sauce and crack in the eggs.

Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks runny (or 20-25 if you want very cooked eggs).

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley.

Serve immediately with crusty bread. 

Updated November 2023