Real Israeli Shakshuka Food

EASY SHAKSHUKA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm the oil in a large, oven-safe skillet (preferably stainless steel) over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the onion, bell pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender and turning translucent, about 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, paprika and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until nice and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour in the crushed tomatoes with their juices and add the cilantro. Stir, and let the mixture come to a simmer. Reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook for 5 minutes to give the flavors time to meld.
• Turn off the heat. Taste (careful, it's hot), and add salt and pepper as necessary. Use the back of a spoon to make a well near the perimeter and crack the egg directly into it. Gently spoon a bit of the tomato mixture over the whites to help contain the egg. Repeat with the remaining 4 to 5 eggs, depending on how many you can fit. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the eggs.
• Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven (it's heavy) 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 centers when you shimmy the pan. (Keep in mind that they'll continue cooking after you pull the dish out of the oven.)
• Using oven mitts (both hands!), transfer the hot skillet to a heat-safe surface like the stove. Top with the crumbled feta, fresh cilantro leaves, and more red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve in bowls with crusty bread on the side.

ISRAELI SHAKSHUKA

Steps:

• You need a large nonstick deep sauté pan that has a cover. Sauté onions in olive oil until opaque and tender.
• Add red bell pepper and continue sauteeing until it softens up.
• Reduce heat to low. Add the fresh chopped tomatoes, cook until they are breaking apart.
• With a slotted spoon, add the chunkiest parts of the contents of the "Pomi" - the majority of the sauce should remain in the carton. Add the jalapeno now also.
• Cook for 30-40 minutes, partially cover, and stir every once in a while. If it starts to look dry, add some of the sauce from the carton, slowly , as you need it. Add the salt and pepper - I like a lot because I love salt on tomatoes.
• The final product should be a thick sauce that just looks like a whole lot of tomatoes stuck together - with very little to no juice, that is about 1-1 1/2 inches high.
• Crack open the eggs on top of the shakshuka, one by one, giving each their own space. The whites should overlap, but the yolk should be spaced about 4 fingerwidths from each other. My pan can fit 6-8 eggs very comfortably.
• Cover tightly with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.

SHAKSHUKA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the cilantro stems, garlic, cumin, paprika and red pepper flakes; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is softened and the vegetables are coated with the spices, about 1 minute.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Stir the tomatoes with their juices into the skillet. Reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Use the back of a spoon to make 4 wells in the sauce, 1 to 2 inches apart. Crack an egg into each well. Run the edge of a rubber spatula through the egg whites to break them slightly, being careful not to break the yolks (this allows the egg whites to cook faster). Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the egg whites are just set, 15 to 18 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and top with the cilantro leaves. Serve with pita bread.

SHAKSHUKA RECIPE (EASY & TRADITIONAL)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped bell pepper and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent.
• Add garlic and spices and cook an additional minute.
• Pour the can of tomatoes and juice into the pan and break down the tomatoes using a large spoon. Season with salt and pepper and bring the sauce to a simmer.
• Use your large spoon to make small wells in the sauce and crack the eggs into each well. Cover the pan and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the eggs are done to your liking.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and parsley.

REAL ISRAELI SHAKSHUKA

Steps:

• Drain most (but not all) liquid from the tomatoes.
• With your hands break apart tomatoes, keep uneven and chunky.
• Put the tomatoes in the pan along with the garlic, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, tomato paste and olive oil.
• Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered over low heat until thick (about 15 minutes while stirring occasionally).
• When tomato sauce is thick, break egg over cup or bowl (make sure there is no blood or pieces of the shell) then dump the egg into the pan (making sure not to break the yolk). Put the eggs on opposite sides of the pan so they don't blend together.

SHAKSHUKA

Steps:

• Heat a deep, large skillet or sauté pan on medium. Slowly warm olive oil in the pan. Add chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and continue to sauté till mixture is fragrant.
• Add the diced bell pepper, sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened.
• Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir until blended. Add spices and sugar, stir, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until it starts to reduce. At this point, you can taste the mixture and spice it according to your preferences. Add salt and pepper to taste, more sugar for a sweeter sauce, or more cayenne pepper for a spicier shakshuka (be careful with the cayenne... it is extremely spicy!).
• Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. I usually place 5 eggs around the outer edge and 1 in the center. The eggs will cook "over easy" style on top of the tomato sauce.
• Cover the pan with a lid. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Keep an eye on the skillet to make sure that the sauce doesn't reduce too much, which can lead to burning.
• Some people prefer their shakshuka with more runny yolks. If this is your preference, let the sauce reduce for a few minutes before cracking the eggs on top-- then, cover the pan and cook the eggs to taste, making sure the egg whites are set before serving. Garnish with the chopped parsley or cilantro, if desired. A sprinkle of feta cheese on top is also nice!