One of the yummiest things we enjoyed in Israel was shakshuka. It is a well-loved Israeli dish popular for both breakfast and supper. It is one of the most savory things you’ll ever eat! Late in the summer Dwight made the dish for our family and the girls and their friends. It was a hit! (Note: we did not have the pilpelchuma or harissa so we searched the Internet to find out what it was and ended up using Sriracha hot sauce though you may find another hot flavor you like better).
Shakshuka
Shakshuka
Recipe from: Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Sami Tamimi
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. Pilpelchuma or harissa
2 tsp. tomato paste
2 large red peppers, cut into ¼ inch (2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
5 large, very ripe tomatoes, chopped (5 cups)
4 large free-range eggs, plus 4 egg yolks
½ cup labneh or thick yogurt
Salt
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the pilpelchuma or harissa, tomato paste, peppers, garlic, cumin, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Stir and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes to allow the peppers to soften. Add the tomatoes, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for a further 10 minutes until you have quite a thick sauce. Taste for seasoning.
Make 8 little dips in the sauce. Gently break the eggs and carefully pour each into its own dip. Do the same with the yolks. Use a fork to swirl and egg whites a little bit with the sauce, taking care not to break the yolks. Simmer gently for 8 – 10 minutes, until the egg whites are set but with yolks still runny (you can cover the pan with a lid if you wish to hasten the process). Remove from the heat, leave for a couple of minutes to settle, then spoon into individual plates and serve with labneh or yogurt.
–By Anita Widaman
