Shakshuka by John Quigley from The Red Onion In Glasgow

AFTER a recent trip to Israel, I was taken back by this very simple and classic Middle Eastern dish, which is versatile, hearty, spicy and cheap to make. The secret to it is in the name, which means to mix or shake up. 
Tomatoes are the backbone of shakshuka and apart from eggs they are the only ingredient you will find in all variations of this recipes, fresh ripe plum tomatoes are best if you can be bothered blanching, refreshing in cold water, peeling and chopping them. If not, then invest in good quality tinned and always choose whole plum tomatoes as they are sweeter and more concentrated. 
Spices are also crucial, after all we are talking middle eastern cuisine and the only common one is a hot one like chilli powder, paprika or cayenne and I prefer a combo, add a little cumin for earthiness, salt for savouriness and balance it with a sprinkling of sugar and lemon juice.
The only thing left is the eggs and free range are best. But for a special twist try a duck egg instead, for extra richness.

INGREDIENTS:
(Serves 4) 

4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp cumin seeds
½-1 tsp cayenne pepper
800g tinned tomatoes (or ripe tomatoes in season)
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 eggs (more optional)
Small bunch of fresh coriander (roughly chopped)
METHOD:

1. Heat the oil in a large lidded frying pan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook until golden, then add the peppers. 
2. Fry until both are soft, then stir 
in the garlic and spices and 
cook for another couple of 
minutes. 
3. Pour in the tomatoes and roughly mash. Stir in the sugar and bring 
to a boil, then turn down the heat 
and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Make four divots in the sauce 
and break in the eggs. Season 
them lightly, turn the heat right 
down as low as possible, cover and cook for about 10 minutes until they are just set. 
When plating up, sprinkle with coriander and serve with bread. 
red-onion.co.uk

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