Shakshuka with Poached Eggs and Spicy Tomato Sauce
Shakshuka is a Tunisian dish made up of poached eggs in a spiced tomato sauce. The best thing about this quick and easy recipe is that it can all be cooked in one pan for a delicious mid-week pick-me-up. Half of the cooking process is popping a lid on it and letting it simmer, so this is really the dish for you if you fancy kicking your feet up and letting the hob do the work.
Most of us have poached an egg before, but not usually directly in a thick tomato sauce. The heat from the bubbling goodness of this dish is enough to cook an egg all the way through, and leave it sitting in the centre of the pot without breaking apart. Then you can top it off with your favourite cheese and watch the yolk leak out when you tuck in.
Although this is an African recipe, you can switch up the cuisine by choosing how to season the tomato base. For example, if you decided to sprinkle in a heft helping of fresh basil and diced garlic, it would soon take some far more Mediterranean flavours. Once you nail the concept behind this dish, you can serve it up time and time again in different ways depending what mood you’re in, and what your cupboards allow. That’s why we think it should be on everyone’s menu at least once.
With that said, let’s see how That One Flavour goes about cooking up this fantastic meal!
Shakshuka is a Tunisian dish made up of poached eggs in a spiced tomato sauce This quick and easy meal can all be cooked in one pan for a delicious mid-week pick-me-up. Top with your favourite cheese and serve with warm crusty bread for a hearty treat.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, diced
- 2 Tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 100ml tomato pureé
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 tbsp oregano mix
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 30g grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- First, heat the olive oil on a medium heat in a large non-stick frying pan. You’ll need to cover this later, so choose one with a suitable lid.
- Next, add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, then add the bell pepper and cook for a further minute. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and tomato pureé.
- Then, stir in the oregano, cumin, chili, salt, and sugar. You can adjust these to your preference. Place a lid to cover the pan, and allow to cook for another 6-7 minutes. If the mixture begins to look dry, add water as required to give it a thick, sauce-like consistency.
- Using the back of a wooden spoon, lightly mash the mixture to break it up. Then, use the spoon to make 3 divets, or wells, for the eggs to be cracked into. Carefully crack an egg into each well, keeping as much of it contained as possible.
- Cover the pan again and cook for 10 minutes, or until the egg whites have cooked through and the yolk is somewhat firm.
- Garnish with a sprinkling of cilantro, grated cheese, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot with your favourite crusty bread. Serve with your choice of bread.
Tips
Credit for the original recipe and photography goes to That One Flavour