SHAKSHUKA FOR BREAKFAST
“Lock down day #26 of 2020. Shakshuka for breakfast. It’s a Middle Eastern (country of origin is much debated and could even be North African) dish with eggs poached in a tomato/onion/sweet pepper/garlic sauce spiced with cumin, coriander, cayenne, paprika and a touch of honey to counter the acidity from tomatoes. I added cheese griller bits with feta and spring onions to garnish. *If you are going to add cayenne and smoked paprika, do so (quantity as preferred, but go light on the smoked paprika as it is potent, 2 ml is plenty).”
- Mixture 1:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 clove garlic, grated or pressed
- cayenne pepper, to taste *
- 2 ml smoked paprika *
- olive oil for frying
- Mixture 2:
- 1 tin whole peeled tomatoes
- ½ a tin of tomato puree
- cheese griller bits, according to taste and optional
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Additional:
- eggs, amount according to size of saucepan
- fresh spring onions or coriander leaves and Feta, for garnishing
- toast, for serving
Fry mixture 1 for a few minutes then add mixture 2.
Simmer for about 15 minutes until you can squeeze the whole tomatoes apart with the back of a spoon.
Make little hollows in the thick sauce and break an egg into each hollow. Simmer for a few minutes.
If you want you can put a lid on the saucepan but the eggs must be runny like a poached egg.
You can poach the eggs separately and add on top of the sauce if preferred.
Serve garnished with fresh spring onions or coriander leaves, Feta and toast.
Recipe and photo: Elsabie Templeton
