How we like to make our shakshuka best
Shakshuka is a wonderfully hearty breakfast dish, but it works just as well for dinner. It’s vegetarian, packed with healthy ingredients and tastes amazing. Here’s how to make the very best.
At his eponymous restaurant in Jaffa (Israel), Dr. Shakshuka writes out the same recipe for all his guests. Shakshuka: a simple dish of eggs stewed in tomato sauce that anyone can make at home. Although Bino Gabso, as the great man is really called, is undoubtedly a true master of it. And while he doesn’t reveal all his secrets, this shakshuka looks suspiciously similar to the real deal.
In this recipe we use bell pepper, but shakshuka also lends itself well to other vegetables such as spinach, aubergine or whatever else you like.
Tip: Use eggs that are as fresh as possible and take them out of the fridge at least half an hour before using them. Cold eggs cook unevenly and lower the temperature of the sauce, which means everything takes longer.
How to make shakshuka
1. Toast the cumin seeds and caraway seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 1 minute, until the aromas are released. Grind the cumin seeds and caraway seeds finely with a mortar and pestle.
2. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Fry the garlic, onions, tomatoes, bell pepper and tomato purée for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 15 minutes, add the cumin-caraway powder, paprika, saffron, chilli flakes, sugar and 75 millilitres of water. Season with salt, pepper and the lemon juice.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in another frying pan over medium heat. Cut 4 thick slices from the sourdough bread and grill the bread for 4 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp.
4. Make 4 hollows in the tomato mixture and crack the eggs into them. Scatter the feta, coriander and parsley over the top. Cook the eggs with the lid on the pan for 5 minutes, until done. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately with the toasted bread.
Wine tip
Shakshuka is bursting with flavour, so look for a wine that can stand up to it. How about a Valpolicella? Just above Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet’s love story, lie the vineyards of Valpolicella. And coincidence or not, with Farina’s intense Valpolicella Superiore, it’s love at first sip. The wine is soft and seductive, with beautiful acidity, which is exactly what this dish needs. Take small bites and small sips; don’t be too greedy, because both the dish and the wine are rich and filling. But what a combination. And if you have room and some left over? End the evening with a cheese board featuring a few hard, aged cheeses. That too is a delicious combination with Valpolicella!
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