Shakshouka- Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce, Tunisian Style

Eggs and tomatoes. Likely combination? Honestly, it isn't one I necessarily would think of, but apparently it is common throughout the world, with so many different countries and cultures having dishes based on tomatoes and eggs, such as Mexican huevos rancheros, Indian anda masala (egg curry), Hungarian letcho, etc...
But I have to say that this Middle Eastern dish, eggs poached in spicy tomato sauce, has got to be one of my all time favorites. Its cheap, it's easy to make, and it tastes absolutely scrumptious!

Shakshouka Recipe- Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce, Tunisian Style

Ingredients:
Oil for frying
1 large onion
2 green bell peppers
8-12 cloves garlic (yes, I know it sounds like a lot, but trust me, it tastes good!)
20 oz tomato paste (approximately 2 cups)
3 cups water
Fresh tomatoes (optional)
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon paprika
Salt to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste
4-8 eggs
Parsley
Zaatar spice mix (optional- see here how to make your own)

Instructions:
1. Chop your onion and garlic cloves and saute them in a deep frying pan until golden.

2. Chop your peppers, add them, then saute until soft.

3. Add the cumin, paprika, and turmeric and mix for a few minutes while cooking.

4. If using fresh tomatoes, chop, add to the pan, and cook until soft.

5. Add tomato paste and water, then bring to a simmer.

6. Taste it, and then add salt and red pepper flakes to taste.

7. Crack eggs into your pan of hot tomato paste, taking care not to break the yolks when pouring in. Pour the eggs in evenly spaced throughout the dish and then don't mix.

8. Put the pan over a very low flame until the eggs solidify. You don't want to be mixing the pan at all or the eggs will break apart.

9. Sprinkle the whole pan with fresh or dried parsley.

10. When the eggs are solid and fully cooked, remove the eggs from the pan with some of the tomato sauce, sprinkle with zaatar (if desired), and serve.

This dish is usually eaten with pita or other flat breads. I take the lazy gluten free way and just serve it with rice, but if you'd like a good recipe for homemade (non gluten free) pita to serve with your tomato poached eggs, here it is.

Enjoy!

Do you ever pair eggs with tomatoes? What do you usually serve? Egg curry? Huevos rancheros? Letcho? Some other dish?
Have you ever eaten shakshouka before? What do you think of it?
P.S. Notice the change I made to the blog today?


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