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A Rich Egg Dish That Satisfies A Rich Egg Dish That Satisfies
(4 days later)
The only time I visited Israel, it was during Passover. Gastronomically, this was not the ideal time, given the dietary restrictions of the holiday. There was no pita bread, no hummus, no falafel. But thankfully, there was shakshuka, eggs baked in fragrant tomato sauce, and a lot of it.The only time I visited Israel, it was during Passover. Gastronomically, this was not the ideal time, given the dietary restrictions of the holiday. There was no pita bread, no hummus, no falafel. But thankfully, there was shakshuka, eggs baked in fragrant tomato sauce, and a lot of it.
There was shakshuka and yogurt for breakfast, shakshuka and salad for lunch, shakshuka and matzo for dinner. Rather than tiring of the egg dish, I became obsessed with it, noting the differences in the thickness and red pepper content of the tomato sauces, and the firmness to which the eggs were poached, nestled in their ruddy bed.There was shakshuka and yogurt for breakfast, shakshuka and salad for lunch, shakshuka and matzo for dinner. Rather than tiring of the egg dish, I became obsessed with it, noting the differences in the thickness and red pepper content of the tomato sauces, and the firmness to which the eggs were poached, nestled in their ruddy bed.
My favorite version, I decided, had a piquant, garlic-flecked tomato sauce that was heavy on soft, sweet onions and lighter on the peppers. As for spices, I wanted to be able to taste the cumin and paprika but not be overwhelmed by them, while the cayenne should provide just a gentle slap of heat. And perhaps most important, the eggs needed to be just set but not quite solid, with the yolks still wiggling and ready to flow with the merest suggestion of contact with my fork.My favorite version, I decided, had a piquant, garlic-flecked tomato sauce that was heavy on soft, sweet onions and lighter on the peppers. As for spices, I wanted to be able to taste the cumin and paprika but not be overwhelmed by them, while the cayenne should provide just a gentle slap of heat. And perhaps most important, the eggs needed to be just set but not quite solid, with the yolks still wiggling and ready to flow with the merest suggestion of contact with my fork.
When I got home, I distilled what I knew about shakshuka into skillet after skillet of the stuff until I came up the version I liked best. Once I had it down, I didn’t change the basic formula for years. When I got home, I distilled what I knew about shakshuka into skillet after skillet of the stuff until I came up with the version I liked best. Once I had it down, I didn’t change the basic formula for years.
Then recently, I added some crumbled feta cheese to the pan along with the eggs. Feta softens but doesn’t melt when it’s baked in the oven, creating creamy, salty nuggets strewn among the tomato-sauce-lapped eggs. Although I haven’t tried it, I imagine that a soft, fresh goat cheese will also work if cut into pieces before being added to the pan.Then recently, I added some crumbled feta cheese to the pan along with the eggs. Feta softens but doesn’t melt when it’s baked in the oven, creating creamy, salty nuggets strewn among the tomato-sauce-lapped eggs. Although I haven’t tried it, I imagine that a soft, fresh goat cheese will also work if cut into pieces before being added to the pan.
I’ll serve this for any meal of the day, just as they do in Israel, but it’s especially fitting for brunch. Since it’s not Passover and I’m not in Israel, chunks of crusty bread or soft pitas do a fine job of sopping up the fragrant sauce. And on that note, hummus is particularly nice alongside.I’ll serve this for any meal of the day, just as they do in Israel, but it’s especially fitting for brunch. Since it’s not Passover and I’m not in Israel, chunks of crusty bread or soft pitas do a fine job of sopping up the fragrant sauce. And on that note, hummus is particularly nice alongside.