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Shakshouka

Shakshouka is a North African/Middle Eastern classic, eggs poached in spicy tomato sauce. Adaptable, quick and perfect for brunch or dinner.
If you usually keep your eggs in the fridge, take them out before you start. They’ll cook more evenly if they’re not cold.
Total Time45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Author: Hangry Miss

Equipment

  • Shallow, wide pan, about 30cm wide. It needs to be stove-top and oven-safe.

Ingredients

  • 800 g canned whole tomatoes
  • olive oil
  • teaspoon hot smoked paprika
  • pinch of saffron threads
  • Teaspoon ground cumin
  • Tablespoon sugar
  • salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium potato
  • Small green bell pepper/capsicum (around 150g)
  • 8 eggs
  • big handful kale (about 30g)
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground sumac (to sprinkle over the eggs)

To Serve: warm bread of your choice

Instructions

  • Preheat Oven – to 180°C
  • Crush Tomatoes - empty the tomatoes into a large bowl and crush by hand. Squeeze each tomato slowly one at a time under the surface of the liquid. Set the cans aside, we’ll rinse them out later.
    800 g canned whole tomatoes
  • Preheat Pan - over medium heat on the stove top. Add two tablespoons oil.
    olive oil
  • Bloom Spices - add the paprika, saffron and cumin to the oil. Stir frequently until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
    teaspoon hot smoked paprika
    pinch of saffron threads
    Teaspoon ground cumin
  • Tomatoes & Seasoning - add the tomatoes with 200ml water (you can use this to rinse out the tomato cans). Add sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt & freshly ground black pepper. Simmer over low heat (with the lid off) for around 30 minutes (or at least while you do the next step).
    Tablespoon sugar
    salt
    ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Prepare Potatoes & Bell Pepper - peel the potato and cut into small cubes. Place in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover (about ½ litre) and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain gently/lift out with a slotted spoon. Cut the pepper into small cubes (about the same size as the potatoes).
    salt
    1 medium potato
    Small green bell pepper/capsicum
  • Poach Eggs – once you're ready to poach the eggs and serve, add the potatoes and green pepper. Fold these through gently so you don’t break the potatoes. Lay a shallow large serving spoon on the top of the tomato sauce to make a shallow well. Crack an egg onto the spoon, aiming to keep the yolk intact. Gently remove the spoon, sliding the egg onto the surface of the tomato. Repeat for all the eggs. Season the eggs with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Once all the eggs are in, put the lid on for 5 minutes (or cover tightly with foil if you don’t have a lid).
    8 eggs
  • Kale – cut out any fibrous stalks/veins, keeping the leaves in big segments. Place in a small bowl. Pour over about ½ tablespoon of olive oil and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Use your hands to scrunch up to coat with the oil. When the 5 minutes is up, take the lid/foil off. Lightly lay the kale around and between the eggs without pushing it into the sauce.
    olive oil
    big handful kale
    salt
  • Bake - transfer the dish (uncovered) to the oven. Cook until the whites of eggs have turned opaque and are mostly set and the kale edges are crispy. This will take 5-10 minutes but keep a close eye – we want to keep the yolks soft and not burn the kale.
  • Serve - sprinkle a pinch of sumac on top of each yolk.
    ⅛ teaspoon ground sumac