I first tried Shakshuka at the French restaurant across the street from my apartment. The idea of eggs baked into tomato sauce with peppers sounded very appealing, and I love dishes where dipping bread is an essential part of the meal (cioppino, bouillabaisse, chili, etc.). I loved it, and so I set out to make my own at home.
Not only is this delicious, it’s also super easy to make. For 2 people, I use 1/4 an onion, 1/2 cup diced red pepper, 1 can of tomato sauce or diced tomatoes, some parsley, some basil, some fresh mozzarella cheese, and 3-4 eggs.
First, you saute the onion and pepper for about 10 minutes. Next, add some salt, 1-2 garlic cloves, and the diced tomatoes (or sauce) and cook until it’s thick, for about 20 minutes. Next, stir in about 1/4 c parsley and some basil. Make wells in the sauce and crack the eggs. Add thin pieces of cheese around the eggs. Lower the heat to med-low, cover and cook until the egg whites have turned faintly white. Remove from heat, top with salt and pepper, basil, and parmesan.
Meanwhile toast some slices of bread and get ready to dip/dig in.
This is a really great lazy morning at home dish, or this even works for dinner. It’s super comforting, and for all of us who love a good runny egg, this really hits the spot, especially with the melted cheese (keep the pieces you add thin so they melt more easily).