The Middle Eastern egg dish “Shakshuka” is a popular breakfast with the perfect ingredients for a bright start of the day! Eggs, tomato sauce and several spices are cooked at the stovetop to a “mixture”, like the Arabic meaning of the word Shakshuka translates. I enjoyed this wonderful vegetarian meal a couple of days ago in a café, which inspired me to make my breakfast eggs Israeli-style today and surely not the last time.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• Canned tomatoes (1-2 cans)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 onion
• 1 red chili pepper
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 tsp. Ground cumin
• Pinch of sugar
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Ground paprika and espelette (optional)
• Flat leaf parsley or coriander

Middle Eastern Breakfast

Note: The word Shakshuka is derived from Arabic meaning “mixture”.

Instructions

1. Start by heating some olive oil in a medium-size pan.
2. Sauté the onions & garlic until golden-brown, add the chopped chili pepper and the spices: Ground cumin, paprika and a pinch of cinnamon.
3. Add the canned tomatoes into the pan and stir in the tomato paste. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Let the tomato sauce cook for about 20 minutes.
4. Form 4 woles in the sauce an add the eggs, one into each whole. Use the stalk of a cooking spoon to stir the egg white into the sauce in circles.
5. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes. (You can also move the pan in the oven to finish)
6. Add more seasonings if needed and sprinkle some fresh parsley (or coriander) before serving.

Shakshuka is best enjoyed with warm bread that you can dip into the sauce!