SHAKSHUKA

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My daughter Sarina spent 3 months in Israel in 2011 with an organization call WOOF, whereby she lived and worked on farms and had to take turns preparing meals for the farm workers (and herself). Quite a challenge but she learned a great deal and one of the dishes, which she considered an Israeli staple, was Shakshuka. With farm fresh eggs and the luscious, just-picked tomatoes on the vine she would prepare this beautiful, delicious and healthy meal. 

For Sunday brunch she put her culinary talents to work and created Shakshuka for her Dad and me. (Just saying the name makes one happy). She served it on a bed of grains (we had millet), accompanied with a salad of cucumbers and red onions, and Labneh or thick yoghurt on the side. You could have warm pita bread, as they did on the farm. Whatever you choose, and wherever your surroundings may be, you will enjoy a wonderful meal.

 RECIPE
SERVES 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons tomato paste (Israelis use Harissa)
2 red peppers, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
5 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped (canned is O.K)
6 – 8 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Labneh or yoghurt

Saute the tomato paste in warmed olive oil for 1 minute.
Add red peppers garlic and cumin and fry for 5 minutes to soften the peppers.
Add the tomatoes and simmer on medium –high heat for 5 minutes. Then lower the heat and simmer on a low very low fire until the tomatoes break down into a thick sauce. This will take 10-15 minutes.

Make 6-8 indentations in the sauce and carefully break an egg in each hole.
Cover the pan for 10 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are cooked and the yolks are still runny. Cook longer if you prefer your eggs hard cooked.




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