Is shakshouka hard to make?

Post Reply New Topic

As title.

No. It's rather easy.

Recipe?

I'm sure there's plenty of those online, maybe even more accurate ones.
The way I was taught to make it:
For 2 people, you'll need one or a half of onion, 5 or 6 nice soft (properly ripe) tomatoes, 4 eggs, some olive oil, tomato paste and various spices (your choice).

To prepare the tomatoes you need to peel them. It's easier if you pour some boiling water on them first. The peel comes of easier. Then cut them in small pieces.
Cut the onion (small pieces as well) and pan-fry it in some olive oil. It's best if you make it all in a wok or some other deep pan.
Then add the cut tomatoes to the mix, spices and some tomato paste to give it a stronger taste. Cook and stir until everything is nice and soft.
Crack each egg separately in a bowl and slip it into the sauce (separately). Add some spices on the eggs as well. Then put the lid on and let it cook slowly without much stirring until the eggs are properly cooked. At least the white should be cooked properly if you like the yolk a bit runny.
If the sauce gets dry, just add a little bit of water.
If you like spicy food, you can also add some jalapenos to the sauce before putting eggs in.

I like it best with some pita bread or some other white, not sweet bread and some pickled green pepper.

I don't know if I managed to explain it properly. I find it really hard explaining recipes in English.
Anyway, enjoy

The best Shakshouka recipe I know is Claudia Roden's in her book Tamarind & Saffron. I've tried to find it online but so far have failed. This is a great book anyway for Middle Eastern food and well worth buying.

The closest to it I did find is reproduced below. I should add that Roden's uses NO onions and NO chili. I've cooked her recipe loads of times, have never used onions or chili and it tastes great. She does suggest capers and preserved lemons as taste ingredients. The book has a recipe for preserving lemons, this is easy, and one jar lasts a long time in the fridge.


Shakshouka

prep time: 10 minutes ~ cooking time: 45 or so minutes

Olive Oil
2 lbs of Bell Peppers, cut into strips
4-6 cloves Garlic, roughly minced
1 Onion, sliced
2 lbs of Tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 hot Chile
Salt & Pepper
4 eggs
Add a healthy glug of olive oil to a deep saute pan set over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and cook a few minutes then add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until everything is nice and soft then add the tomatoes and cook until they break down and then cook until reduced to a silky, thickened consistency.

The exact time it takes to get to a thickness you like will be determined by how much water your vegetables contain and how saucy you like your shakshouka. Mine was comparable to a nice thick marinara.

Turn the heat down and add the chile. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate.

Crack each egg, one at a time into a bowl, then make a little well for it in the sauce and gently tip the egg into the sauce. Repeat for each egg, season with a little salt and then place a lid on the pan and allow the eggs to cook a few minutes until set.