Shakshuka
So you get home at 7:30 p.m. and you’re exhausted. And you still need to make dinner for the nits. BUT, you have in your possession one dozen freshly laid farm eggs from the fabulous Kelli, urban farm woman about town, who keeps chickens in her yard, and who texted you a photo of their output just today. She lives close to the train station so you swung by to procure. She has also booned you with fresh chives, parsley, and two kinds of chard.
So you post this bounty on Facebook, because you are happy you have urban farm friends who provide you fresh produce. What shall I make for dinner? You ask the madding crowd. Somebody suggests you make shaksuka, a Middle Eastern home staple of eggs in spicy tomato sauce and you think, heck yeah. THIS is what will nourish my children and myself this evening. No Chinese, no In ‘n Out, no anything a hardworking middle class mom turns to when she gets home on the downslope to bedtime, children still unfed, not to mention herself.
BUT, your kids are growing up. The girl is out with friends. The boy, now taller than his own father and hungrier than anyone you’ve met in the last decade, reacts to what you propose to make for his dinner with a pained look, then asks for pasta.
You realize you will be making shakshuka for one.
Fine. Here is how you do it:
Shakshuka:
The recipe: (for one. This is 1/2 the original recipe.)
Half an onion, thinly sliced
half a red pepper, thinly sliced
two tablespoons olive oil
Teaspoon of cumin
Teaspoon of sweet paprika
dash of cayenne
1/3 cup feta cheese
one can diced tomatoes in their juice
however many eggs you desire
salt and pepper to taste.
How you do it:
It couldn’t be easier. Saute the onions and peppers in the heated olive oil, gently for about 20 minutes, until they are soft. Add your spices. You can adjust as you like heat or not. And improvise with what you like. Second time I made this, I used some sumac. Not bad.
The origin: Onions and red peppers.
Saute for about 20 minutes or until soft and fragrant….
The spice.
Add the spices….
The recipe at the Times calls for using whole tomatoes and crushing them with your hands. Quaint. But no. I opened a can of diced tomatoes in their juice and dumped that in whole. Crush with my own hands. Ain’t nobody got time for that…
Add that feta. Trust me on that…
Anyway, when the tomato sauce is all heated through and it’s smelling up your kitchen with anticipation, gently break your eggs onto the top of the mix.
How many eggs? Your choice. I love eggs.
I used three. Because eggs.
Season expertly with salt and pepper.
Use an oven mitt and place the whole pan into the preheated oven until the eggs set, about 7 – 10 minutes.
This is what you get for your trouble:
The miracle.
The photo maybe doesn’t do it justice. I took it with my cellphone.
Is it good? Of course it’s good. Millions of Middle Eastern moms can’t be wrong. Toast some pita bread and you’re gonna feel pretty smug eating this down for dinner. It’s delicious. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Whatevs.
I’ve already made this twice. It’s that easy. And that good. The girl tried this and pronounced it good. The boy? Stay tuned.
Read more about Shakshuka here, and here, and here. Once again, I am late the the party. But no matter.
Shakshuka!!
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