The Middle Eastern cuisine is one of my favorite cuisines! I love the spices and bold flavors. The cuisine encompasses so many cultures which share similar dishes as well as possessing dishes that may be unique to a particular region. This is no surprise since this part of the world is steeped in thousands of years of history and is known as the “cradle of civilization”.
Shakshuka is a dish that has intrigued me since first reading about it a couple of years ago. Its simplicity and heartiness piqued my interest. It is believed to have origins in Tunisia and Libya. Some food historians believe it was invented during the years of the Ottoman Empire which included the land that is now known as Turkey. It is purportedly a peasant dish which at its simplest is comprised of tomatoes, peppers, onions, and eggs.
Many of the recipes that I looked at were often made to serve at least 4 and up to 8 people. I wanted a dish with a smaller yield so that I could share it with one other person, my husband. He was skeptical of the dish having not heard of it before, but after tasting it, he commented that it reminded him of huevos rancheros.
Notes: Jalapeno is one of my favorite peppers, not overwhelmingly hot, but enough heat to wake me up. I’m sure you can substitute your favorite peppers here.
Shakshuka for Two #SundaySupper
Ingredients
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- 1 jalapeno stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1 14- ounce can whole peeled tomatoes undrained
- 3-4 eggs
- 3 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Crusty bread or baguette for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in a 8" skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions and cook until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, red pepper, a pinch of salt, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
- Crush the tomatoes with your hands as you're adding it to the skillet. Add the remaining tomato juice from the can. Lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer until sauce thickens, about 15-20 minutes. If the sauce starts to get too thick, you can add about 1/4 cup of water.
- Crack eggs over the sauce so that it is evenly distributed. Cover and let cook until the yolks are just set, about 4-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the shakshuka with the crumbled feta cheese and parsley and serve immediately with bread.
Recipe adapted from Saveur.com.
Amanda of MarocMama is hosting this week’s Middle Eastern Sunday Supper! We’re defining Middle East as the countries of North Africa, the Gulf States, the Levant or region traditionally thought of as the Middle East, and we’re also including Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Check out these other Middle Eastern and Middle Eastern inspired recipes by the Sunday Supper crew!
Mezze {Appetizers}
- Muhammara – Supper for a Steal
- Homemade Labneh Cheese – The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Jerusalem’s Burnt Eggplant with Garlic, Lemon & Pomegranate Seeds – Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Sun Dried Tomato Hummus – Family Foodie
Salata {Salads and Sides}
- Fried Cauliflower w/ Sesame Parsley Sauce (Qarnabeet Mekleh Bil Taratoor) – girlichef
- Burnt Eggplant and Chickpea Soup – The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Couscous, Lentil and Chickpea Salad – Citronlimette
- Persian Jeweled Rice – Vintage Kitchen Notes
- Lebanese Rice – Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Main
- Quinoa Falafel– Jane’s Adventure in Dinner
- Jamie Oliver’s Beef Tagine – Shockingly Delicious
- Chicken Biryani – Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Crockpot Curry Chicken – The Foodie Army Wife
- Quinoa Falafel with Fresh Herbs – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Shakshuka – kimchi MOM
- Beef Tagine Over Couscous – Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Grilled Red Snapper with Cilantro and Onion Stuffing or حمراء مشوية مع حشوة – Food Lust People Love
- Falafel with Israeli Salad – Webicurean
- Chicken Shawarma – The Texan New Yorker
- Spaghetti Squash Pastitsio with Greek Yogurt Bechamel – Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Kushari – Curious Cuisiniere
- Israeli BBQ Chicken – From Fast Food to Fresh Food
- Quick Persian Rice with Spiced Beef – MarocMama
Halwa {Desserts}
- Ghraybeh Cookies – Killer Bunnies, Inc
- Fried Honey Citrus Cakes – Neighborfood
- Easy Baklava Cake – NinjaBaking.com
- Ghraybeh – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Sesame Tahini Cookies – Magnolia Days
- Basbousa (Semolina Cake) – Mess Makes Food
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.
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