Originally from North Africa, and now most widely thought of as Middle Eastern, Shakshuka is a lovely, healthy egg dish, great for a weekend breakfast, brunch, or even a weeknight dinner! It’s surprisingly quick and easy to throw together and should be a crowd-pleaser for all ages, especially as you can make it fiery hot or really mild.
Traditionally, this dish is served with pita, but in the spirit of trying new things, we’re going to make Olive Rosemary muffins to accompany it.
Shakshuka
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 ea Medium Onion, diced
1 ea Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Paprika (smoky is best!)
1 teasp Cumin
¼ -½ teasp Chili Powder or Harissa, depending on your “heat” preference
1 can (28 oz) Crushed Tomatoes, fire roasted is really good (Fresh chopped tomatoes are fine, too, but they will need to simmer a bit longer to reduce the juices.)
6-8 ea Eggs (depends on how many people you are serving and how many eggs they want. Extra sauce can be sopped up by the muffins.)
Salt & Pepper to taste.
Crumbled feta or goat cheese, optional.
Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro as desired.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add onions and peppers and saute until the onions are translucent.
Add garlic and spices and stir together, allowing to cook another minute or so.
Add tomatoes and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Crack the eggs into the simmering sauce, and sprinkle the cheese on top.
Cover the pan and leave simmering for 10-15 minutes, or place in a 350F oven and bake for 10 min urtes or until the eggs are done to your liking.
Serve hot, with chopped herbs and pita, bread or the following savory muffins.
Olive Rosemary Muffins
2 C Flour
1½ teasp Baking Powder
¼ teasp Baking Soda
½ teasp Salt
1 Tbsp Chopped Dried Rosemary (double for fresh)
1 C Buttermilk (you can use regular milk if you prefer)
2 ea Large Eggs
1/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 C Kalamata Olives, halved or quartered
1/3 C Parmesan Cheese (optional)
Prepare 12 muffin cups in a muffin pan, and preheat the oven to 350F.
Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together to combine.
In a separate bowl, buttermilk, eggs and oil.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine. Add olives just as the batter comes together. DO NOT overmix!
Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if you are using it.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into the middle.
Let cool slightly before serving.
