Make-Ahead Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern dish consisting of a spiced tomato sauce with the eggs cooked in the sauce. Typically, it is served in a skillet. For something as special as Easter brunch, I like to elevate the dish by transferring the sauce to an oven-to-table baking dish, adding the eggs, and finishing it off in the oven. If you are not making ahead, then simply crack the eggs right into the skillet and finish off in the oven.
A note about the eggs – you want to check the yolks, not the whites to determine if the eggs are cooked to your liking. Due to the moisture content of the dish, the whites can look under-done but they are not. Plus, you have carryover cooking. Make sure the yolks are cooked to your liking and all should be fine. The easiest way to check the yolk is to gently touch the top; you want it soft.
Gluten-Free Make-Ahead Shakshuka
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium onions , diced
- 2 red bell peppers , seeded, deveined, and diced
- Kosher or fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic , minced or grated
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2-3 tablespoons chili garlic sauce or harissa paste
- 2 (28-ounce) cans whole plum tomatoes in sauce, undrained
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 cups chopped kale
- 8-12 large eggs
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
- Gluten-free pita bread , for serving, if desired
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, and chili garlic sauce or harissa. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and sugar. Cook, breaking up the tomatoes with a potato masher or the back of a spoon for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.
- At this point you can let cool and refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days. If not making ahead, you can add the eggs to the skillet and simmer, covered for 5-7 minutes or until the yolks are to your liking. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with pita bread.
- If making ahead, place a baking dish in the oven and preheat to 375°F. While the oven and baking dish are heating, put the sauce in a skillet and bring to a simmer. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven, pour in the sauce, and add eggs. I find the easiest way to do this is to crack an egg into a ramekin, use the bottom of the ramekin to create an indentation in the sauce, and slide the egg in. Repeat with remaining eggs. Put in oven for 7-10 minutes depending on how you like your eggs; watch the yolks carefully. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with pita bread.
Nutrition
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