Chakchouka (or Shakshouka and other various spellings) is a middle Eastern dish traditionally served in a cast iron pan with flatbread to dip into the sauce. Its popular in Israel, where it is often served as a breakfast dish. Its quite similar to the Mexican breakfast dish Huevos Rancheros (Ranch Eggs) and perhaps it has common roots. Traditionally the peppers are cut in strips and cooked with the tomatoes, but here I've char grilled them first, for added flavour. Instead of flatbread I served this with good old British breakfast fried bread.
Ideally, you need to make individual portions and serve them in the smallish pan in which they are cooked.
Photographed yesterday in natural light
Ingredients (serves 2)
Ideally, you need to make individual portions and serve them in the smallish pan in which they are cooked.
Photographed yesterday in natural light
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1 (400g) tin crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon paprika, or to taste
- 1 tsp hot chilli powder
- 4 eggs
- Chopped parsley or coriander (cilantro)
- Cut the peppers in half from stem to base, deseed and roughly flatten them out, cutting them as necessary.
- Place under a hot grill (broiler) until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft. Place the peppers in a plastic food bag and allow to cool. Peel off the skin allowing a few charred bits to remain. Cut into strips.
- Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook a few more minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, paprika and chilli powder. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened, then add the pepper strips and heat through.
- Make depressions in the sauce and crack an egg into each one. Put a lid on the pan and carry on cooking on a fairly high heat until the whites of the eggs have set but the yolks are still runny.
- Garnish with the parsley or coriander.
