i want you to know, you too, can make your own shakshuka.

Though shakshuka has become popular in the last few years at high-end brunch spots, in truth, shakshuka is a “everything but the kitchen sink” meal in Libyan culture. In every culture there is a dish that is made when the pantry gets low, or a vegetable is in season and in excess. Meet shakshuka, which has a lot of variations (and that’s okay!), but which is essentially eggs poached in tomato sauce. I’ll never forget when I told my father-in-law how much people in America were willing to pay for shakshuka; we both had a good laugh. This is the people’s food. On a regular day. So yes, you too, can make shakshuka. Here’s how.

First, this is my version, entitled “Lazy shakshuka.”

I made this today for a quick lunch when I found out my husband was coming home to eat. We’ve been gone over the weekend and didn’t grocery shop, so I was using whatever we had. A can of crushed tomatoes? A carton of eggs. Perfect. That’ll do.

begin with onions, garlic, and tomatoes.

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Generally, when I am cooking shakshuka, I use fresh tomatoes that I cut and let cook down for a while. But this is the lazy version, where efficiency is key, so this can of tomatoes will do. First, dice up the onion and garlic and get it nice and cooked in your pan. Then, pour in the tomatoes. This was a large can and more than I needed, so use the 16 oz one, about two cups.

Add your eggs to the warmed tomatoes.

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Crack your eggs, however many you like, right into the tomato sauce. This honestly, is the longest step in the cooking process. You do not want to touch your eggs once you have added them to the tomatoes, only to let them cook until they are cooked to a soft boil. This can take anywhere from 10-15 minutes, and I put a lid on mine over low-medium to quicken the process. The eggs shouldn’t be too hard, rather a bit runny.

Add Parsley and cheese, or as you see fit.

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I usually have some parsley in my fridge and I love the color of the green set against the red. Truth be told, today I chopped up one of my two-year-old’s cheese sticks that he’s not into. They’re Organic Valley Cheddar, so you can’t really go wrong.

Add that color and the cheese to melt, and pretty soon you have something Instagrammable. Enjoy!

recipe

Good for two hungry people, or three with smaller appetites.

Ingredients

• olive oil for sauteing
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 16-oz can of diced tomatoes, or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• 4-6 eggs (depending on hunger/amount of people)
• chopped parsley
• chopped or shaved cheese (feta, cheddar, parmesan all work nicely)
• salt, pepper

Directions

1. Add chopped onion and garlic to the frying pan. Cook until on medium until translucent.
2. Add tomatoes. Cook down or until warm.
3. Crack eggs into the tomatoes. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until soft-boiled. You can put a lid on to quicken the cooking time.
4. Add salt and pepper.
5. Add parsley and cheese. Let sit until cheese melts, with the burner turned off.
6. Serve with bread for dipping.