BY CASSANDRA HAMMERSTONE
June 2023
Soft cooked eggs baked or poached in tomato sauce topped with handfuls of fresh herbs that you scoop up with crusty bread. The Italian version is Eggs in Purgatory, and it’s traditionally made with freshly stewed tomatoes and garlic with a subtle spice from crushed red pepper flakes. However, this dish is largely agreed to have originated in North Africa as Shakshuka, where the eggs are simmered in a tomato or red bell pepper sauce, often with chickpeas and spiced with cumin, paprika and harissa.
My recipe blends some of my favorite elements from both versions, resulting in a delicious rustic dish that’s a little bit sweet and a little bit smoky. Here’s everything you’ll need:
This recipe is a true one-pan meal, and it will come together quickly on the stovetop. I love to make this recipe in the summer when cherry tomatoes are at their peak and I don’t want to keep the oven or stove on too long, but it's perfect any time of the year, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Make this in a 12” skillet or 3 quart pan that has a tight fitting lid.
Saute sliced shallots, roasted red peppers, garlic and sweet cherry tomatoes with a little bit of salt until the shallots are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
I’m forgoing cumin in this recipe and opting for smoked paprika, instead. Paired with the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes, the smoky earthiness from the paprika will give the sauce so much depth and balance.
Give the paprika a little time to bloom in the oil. Just as you begin to notice its aroma, add in the tomato paste and stir until it's combined and begins to carmelize, then pour in the crushed tomatoes. Season to taste and let the sauce simmer gently on low for about ten minutes.
My recipe blends some of my favorite elements from both versions, resulting in a delicious rustic dish that’s a little bit sweet and a little bit smoky.
It’s time to add the eggs. I like to break the eggs into a small dish and gently pour them into little divots in the sauce. This gives you more control over their placement and a chance to swap out an egg if a yolk breaks.
Season the eggs, cover and set the heat to low. The sauce will gently simmer as the eggs begin to begin to poach. Cook until you can see that the whites are fully opaque but the yolks are not quite set, usually about five to seven minutes.
The richness of this dish really benefits from a big handful of fresh parsley, an every bite is exciting. The sweet red peppers, a burst of cherry tomato and the smoky tomato sauce and unctuous eggs just beg you to dip in with some crusty bread.
Shakshuka, or Eggs in Purgatory
Season: Anytime
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
Five eggs
1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
28 oz (canned) crushed tomato
2 tbsp tomato paste
10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large shallot, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Parsley
Crusty bread for serving
PREPARATION
Heat a 12” skillet or 3 quart saute pan over medium high heat. Coat the pan lightly with olive oil, and add the shallot. Cook until the shallot becomes translucent, then add the roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes and garlic. Season to taste and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the smoked paprika and let it bloom in the oil until it becomes fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and allow it to carmelize slightly, then pour in the crushed tomatoes. Lower the heat to medium low, season and let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes.
Create small divots in the sauce to mark where you’ll position the eggs. Crack each egg into a small bowl and then transfer it to the sauce. Once all the eggs are positioned, season the eggs with salt and cover, simmering gently until the whites are opaque, but the yolks are not quite set, about 5-7 minutes.
Uncover and top with handfuls of fresh parsley. Serve over slices of crusty bread.
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