A new column for Jewish News, B’Tayavon will feature a recipe from a local chef in each issue. The first is from Philip Sifen who shares his recipe for Shakshuka. Enjoy!
Shakshuka
Philip Sifen
Servings: 2
Allergens: Wheat and Eggs
Shakshuka is basically peasant food, but that doesn’t mean it tastes bad. It just means that it is simple and cheap. Simple food is often the best tasting food because of the way our palettes work and communicate with our brains.
Shakshuka is extremely popular in Israel. You can find it at nearly every café; and today, it is making its way across many restaurants—even in high-end establishments.
Basically a one size fits all meal, it’s the perfect meal for small gatherings, family meals, and romantic dates. The best parts about Shakshuka are that it’s a one pot, comfort food, that is easy to make, easy to clean up, easy to share, and of course, extremely delicious. Shakshuka is generally eaten in a manner familiar to Indian cuisine; meaning, the stew is placed in the middle of everyone, and utensils are sparsely used. Bread is used mainly to eat the dish.
To increase number of servings, add more eggs (1–2 per person).
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive oil
2 cups
White onion, chopped or diced
1 cup
Red bell pepper, chopped or diced
5 cloves Garlic, whole
1 Fresh red chile, sliced (sub: 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper)
1 tsp
Paprika, ground (hot, smoked, or regular)
½ tsp Cumin, ground
1 tsp Turmeric, ground
2 cups Fresh tomatoes
2 Tbsp Tomato paste
Salt
¼ cup Kalamata olives pitted
1 Tbsp Sesame seeds
1 Tbsp Fresh parsley and/or cilantro chopped
4 Eggs
¼ cup Tahini (Sesame Paste)
Bread (naan, pita, or challah), as needed
Method
• In a large cast iron or sauté pan, heat olive oil on low-medium heat.
• Add onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and fresh chili (or substitute crushed red pepper) to pan.
• Slowly cook, while occasionally stirring, until onions become translucent (Roughly 8-10 minutes).
• Add all spices (paprika, turmeric, and cumin). Stir to combine, and continue to cook for 1–2 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, stir, and continue to cook on low-medium heat for 4–5 minutes until tomatoes soften (Stir as needed to prevent onion from burning).
• Add tomato paste, stir to combine, and reduce heat to low. The stew should be extremely thick at this point
• Carefully taste with a spoon; and add salt as needed.
• Crack eggs and place each on top of the stew. Sprinkle each egg with a pinch of salt.
• Cover pan with pot lid or flat baking sheet.
• Cook for 4–5 minutes on low heat (Until egg whites are fully cooked).
• Garnish with tahini, olives, parsley/cilantro, and sesame seeds.
• Serve the dish in the pan it was cooked in with a wooden spoon and bread (pita, challah, or naan bread)
Philip Sifen caters events for the Simon Family Jewish Community Center and for small gatherings as a personal chef. He may be reached at PhilipSifen@hotmail.com.