Shakshuka

This is a great start to the day as breakfast, although many enjoy this exclusively for brunch. Shakshouka (also spelled shakshuka or chakchouka) is a Maghrebi dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion and garlic, commonly spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper. Its origins are founded in the Ottoman Empire, North Africa in the mid-16th century after tomatoes were introduced to the region by Hernan Cortés as part of the Columbian exchange.

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Cuisine: Africa, Maghrebi / North African

Courses: Breakfast & Brunch

Difficulty: Beginner

Servings: 4

Calories: 264

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions
2 merguez sausages
2 red peppers
2 green peppers
4 salad tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp harissa paste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
4 cloves garlic
4 eggs
salt and black pepper
230 ml hot water

Instructions

1
Heat a non-stick sauté pan or deep skillet over a medium heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and fry the onions and pieces of merguez. Once the onions have become translucent cook for another 1 or 2 minutes until golden brown, add the peppers and tomatoes.
The merguez continues cooking with the sauce, but make sure it is thoroughly cooked through before serving rather than judging it only by exterior browning.
2
Stir in the tomato purée, harissa and crushed garlic. Pour in 230 ml hot water. Season with salt and pepper as required.
3
Cover the pan and leave to cook for about 12 minutes, if necessary, add an extra 115 ml water.
Keep the sauce at a steady simmer and add extra water only if it is reducing before the vegetables soften; the finished mixture needs to be thick enough to support the eggs.
4
Once the sauce thickens, make 4 indentations in the mixture with the back of a ladle and crack an egg into each.
5
Cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until the eggs are done to your desire.
If serving the yolks soft or runny, use British Lion eggs or another egg produced under an equivalent salmonella-control scheme; otherwise continue cooking until the yolks are firm. The whites should be set before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 264kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 16.0g25%
Saturated Fat 6.2g31%
Cholesterol 164mg55%
Sodium 443mg19%
Potassium 907mg26%
Total Carbohydrate 15.6g6%
Dietary Fiber 4.4g18%
Sugars 8.7g
Protein 15.6g32%

Vitamin C 168.4 mg
Calcium 81 mg
Iron 2.7 mg
Vitamin D 35.2 IU

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

The combination of the individual ingredients that provide the freshness, umami, sweetness, smoothness and kick is a thing to behold.