shakshuka

I grew up with six people in my family, so my instinct is to cook for six. However, with my impending move to Europe, I’ve been reading up on how to cook for one. I could get takeout all the time. I could survive solely on frozen pizza and sandwiches. But I think cooking is self-care in more than one way, and there’s something liberating about being able to eat whatever I want without worrying about someone else’s preferences.

This is one of my favorite recipes to cook for myself. If you’re unfamiliar with shakshuka, it’s a North African and Israeli dish that has exploded into popularity in the US. And why wouldn’t it? Eggs, poached in a spicy tomato and red pepper sauce, all done in one pan in half an hour or less. It’s great for any meal of the day whether you’re alone or entertaining.

I’ve made a few variations over the years, but this is the one I like best. It’s largely made with staples, like spices and eggs and canned tomatoes. Roasted bell peppers from a jar make a lot of difference here—they’re a lot more flavorful than sautéed fresh peppers! Citrusy zaatar, sharp feta, and summery cilantro take this simple dish from good to great.

It’s also absolutely foolproof. Did you accidentally turn your heat up too high and char your vegetables? No problem, you’ve made smoky shakshuka. Did you wander away or get distracted and overcook your eggs? It’s all good, it will taste great anyway. The only way to mess this up is by not making it at all.

Shakshuka is best eaten straight out of the pan, with a glass of cold juice. Take my advice and get enough bread to eat it with every bite. Don’t even bother with a fork, unless it’s to scoop all those spicy vegetables and runny eggs onto your toast.

directions:

1. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Cook onion and bell peppers for 10 minutes. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add salt, paprika, chili powder, and red pepper flakes, and cook another 2 minutes. Add some black pepper to taste.
2. Add tomatoes and honey, simmer the mixture over medium-low for 8-10 minutes.
3. Turn the heat down to low, make wells in the mixture and add eggs. (If the mixture is too liquidy for wells, it’s not ready yet. Let it cook a bit longer.) Spoon some sauce over the whites to help them cook faster, but don’t disturb the yolk. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 minutes, then take the pan off the heat. Leave covered and let the eggs finish cooking for 3-4 more minutes. The egg whites should be just set, the yolk still runny. But if you do overcook your eggs—and I do often—don’t worry. It will still be delicious.
4. Give it a good bit of ground pepper and za’atar. Sprinkle generously with feta and cilantro. Serve with crusty, generously buttered bread or naan. I love to use little baguette slices broiled on one side until they’re brown. 

To reheat: Make sure to only however many eggs will be eaten immediately. If you try to heat the poached eggs in the microwave, they will overcook. If you need leftovers, chill or freeze the extra sauce and when you’re ready to eat it, just warm it up in a skillet and begin from step 3.