Shakshuka, Israeli eggs in sauce call the slipper

Shakshuka is a typical product of Israeli cuisine prepared with tomato, peppers and eggs and served with pita bread.

Eggs, tomato and peppers. Three simple ingredients that give life to a dish that contains all the flavors of a culture. Shakshuka is a typical dish of Israeli cuisine , which arrived in the country thanks to migrations from the Maghreb.

Today, this dish of Middle Eastern cuisine is a real cornerstone and, even if the traditional version includes eggs, there are vegan variants that include tofu. We loved the spiced eggs with tomato and peppers and the best way to serve them is with slices of bread, essential for making the slipper.

How to prepare shakshuka recipe

1. First, finely slice the onion and mince the garlic . Brown both in a pan with the oil.
2. In the meantime, wash the pepper , remove the seeds and internal filaments and cut it into strips. Also wash the tomatoes and cut them into cubes. First add the pepper together with half a glass of water, a pinch of salt and the tomato paste.
3. After about ten minutes, add the tomatoes and spices : cumin and sweet paprika. Cover with a lid and leave to cook for about 25 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
4. At this point, break the eggs into the sauce after forming 4 wells and leave to cook with the lid on until the eggs are of the desired consistency.
5. Serve immediately and enjoy this dish piping hot.

Here is a video where all the steps to make it are shown. We couldn't resist making the slipper! To fully immerse yourself in the culture of this country, instead of traditional bread, usepita : it's perfect!

Conservation

Once the eggs have been added, the dish should be consumed immediately. The sauce, on the other hand, can be stored in the refrigerator, well covered, for 2-3 days and, only when serving it, reheat it and cook the eggs in it.

Origin and history

Shakshuka literally means mixture and refers to a traditional Israeli recipe based on expertly spiced tomato and pepper sauce (basic ingredients) and enriched with eggs . As often happens, there is no single version and it is precisely the spices that differentiate the various recipes. Paprika and cumin are essential while sometimes turmeric and harissa , a spicy sauce made from chilli pepper and garlic, are added. The tomatoes can leave room for the peeled tomatoes or the puree while the concentrate is a must, indispensable to make everything even tastier.

However, not everyone knows that the origins of the dish are Maghreb : it is from these areas that the Jews who migrated to Palestine from the mid-1900s came.

Similar recipes are also present in the cuisines of other territories. Across the ocean, in Mexico, there are huevos rancheros , that is, fried eggs with peppers and tomatoes and served with the famous tortillas; in Spain the Pisto Manchego where the eggs are served on a bed of tomatoes and aubergines; in Italy we have the delicious eggs in purgatory .

Read also

Delicious eggs in tomato sauce (or eggs in purgatory) with photos and videos on how to prepare them