Recipe: Southwest Shakshouka

Shakshouka is a quintessential dish that has existed in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures. Though its origins can be disputed because of the evolution of this dish, it is safe to safe that its modern form originated in Tunisia from the Jewish population. It is a dish that consists of a tomato, & pepper base, spiced with cumin, cayenne & paprika, with poached eggs on the top, served in a cast iron skillet.

I’ve had this dish in Barcelona (at Shaq Shuq) and I absolutely fell in love with it. Being Italian, I love tomatoes in every form, however this dish is amazing as it is vegetarian, healthy, and the eggs serve as a great source of protein (in contrast to pasta which my Italian mother raised me on)

I love making my food spicy and adding in secret vegetable ingredients so you’ll notice a few disparities between my take on Shakshouka and a traditional recipe.

I N G R E D I E N T S

3-5 eggs

3 large tomatoes

8 roma tomatoes

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow onion

2 cups of kale

1 jalapeño

1/2 cup chopped garlic

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

olive oil

D I R E C T I O N S

Blend the 3 large tomatoes and red bell pepper in a food processor or blender. Start to cook this base liquid on low heat in a pan. Once the base begins to thicken, add all the seasonings in. The longer the base cooks on a low temp, the better. Try to keep it cooking for at least 30-40 minutes on low heat, not letting it bubble and boil. Sauteé chopped Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, and garlic into a frying pan. Combine the sautéed vegetables, with the tomato base into a cast iron skillet and mix the kale in. Allow to cook on medium for 10 minutes. Turn the heat back to a low simmer and create divots for the eggs to go in. Crack the eggs into the divots and cover the cast iron skillet. Once eggs appear thoroughly cooked, scoop some of that tasty dish onto your plate and devour! Feel free to serve with bread, crackers, or just eat plain.