“We first discovered this colourful, satisfying dish in Israel, where it is made with many variations. All seem to include eggs and some kind of bright, tangy tomato sauce. We’ve added meaty butter beans, avocado, and feta cheese. (To make this pareve, leave out the cheese.) Like so many egg dishes, shakshuka is versatile-perfect for brunch, lunch, or dinner. Enjoy it as a first course, a main course, or even a side dish.”
Tips and Notes: Try not to leave the eggs in the oven too long, though, or you risk overcooking them. For best results, the yolks need to be runny. Butter beans resemble lima beans, but are usually larger. Typically we use canned or jarred beans because they make cooking so much easier, but purists can start with dried beans. We just don’t see much difference. Other firm-textured beans, such as kidney beans or chickpeas, make fine substitutes. If you are using dried beans, remember to cook them well in advance.
Wine pairing: These eggs taste best accompanied by a glass of good wine-white, red, or rose. We recommend higher-acid whites such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. Any dry rose would be fine, too. Brighter-styled red wines like Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel also make excellent pairings.
Excerpted from The Covenant Kitchen. Copyright © 2015 Jeff Morgan. Published by Schoken, a Penguin Random House Company. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images. The image was not created by the recipe author but is representative of the dish.
ingredients
directions
In a large, oven-proof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the green pepper and sauté until it has softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, paprika, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Gently mix to coat all the ingredients evenly with the spices. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 more minutes.
Add the tomatoes, any juices that may have accumulated when dicing them, and the water. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Immediately return the heat to medium.
Uncover the pan and simmer until the juice has thickened somewhat, another 5 to 10 minutes. It will have turned a darker shade of red.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully crack the eggs — trying not to break the yolks — one at a time over the beans and sauce, spacing them evenly apart. Transfer the skillet to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 3 minutes.
Rotate the pan (to ensure that the shakshuka cooks evenly) and bake until the egg whites begin to firm up but the yolks are still runny, about 3 more minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and let sit for 1 minute to settle the eggs. Garnish with the avocado, feta cheese (if using), and cilantro, spreading them evenly across the surface of the shakshuka.
To serve, use a large spoon to scoop out the eggs with the beans, sauce, and garnishes, keeping the eggs on the top, unbroken. Season with pepper and serve with bread for dipping.