1 can (400g / 14 oz) plum tomatoes or 4–5 fresh ripe tomatoes, diced. I suggest peeling the fresh tomatoes if using them as they will cook better
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
Eggs and garnish:
4–6 eggs
Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Bread, pita, or flatbread for serving
Method
Sauté the base:
? Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat.
? Add onions and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft and golden.
? Add the bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes until softened.
? Stir in the garlic and chilli (if using) and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add spices:
? Stir in cumin, paprika, coriander, and chili powder.
? Toast for about 30 seconds to release flavors.
Make the tomato sauce:
? Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar (if needed).
? Stir and let the sauce simmer for 10–15 minutes, uncovered, until thickened.
? Taste and adjust seasoning — it should be rich and slightly spicy.
Add the eggs:
? Using a spoon, make small wells in the sauce and crack one egg into each.
? Cover the pan with a lid. Cook gently on low heat for 5–7 minutes until the eggs are set to your liking (runny yolks are traditional).
? Alternatively, you can finish it in a preheated oven (180°C / 350°F) for 5–8 minutes.
Finish and serve:
? Sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro and crumbled feta if desired.
? Serve hot, directly from the pan, with crusty bread or pita for dipping.
Optional homemade bread rolls
Ingredients:
500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp salt
1 sachet (7g) fast action yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
300-320ml luke warm water
Method:
Combine ¾ of the warm water and yeast and stir.
Add all the other ingredients and mix.
The dough will come together in a ball fairly quickly, here you will add more water to get the consistency you like. Depending on the brand of flour you use you may need more or less than the above so add a little at a time.
Once you have the right consistency, sprinkle some flour on the counter and knead your dough for a few minutes until soft and pliable. Once you have a nice ball formed, pop it into an oiled bowl (use a little of the same oil you used in the recipe for this). Cover with a damp cloth and set to rise. You want it to double in size.
Once doubled (usually about 2 hours depending on the temperature of where you keep it), tip it back out of the bowl and knock the air out of it. Knead again for a minute or two and shape into your desired loaf, for the shakshuka recipe above I split my dough in 3 and make 3 rolls instead of one loaf. Pop on a baking trap and recover with the damp towel. Leave for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan assisted).
Score the top of your loaf and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes. The loaf will sound hollow when tapping the bottom when cooked. If making the smaller rolls, check them at 25 minutes.
