Shakshuka Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes | Aline Made (2024)

FAQs

Should you cook tomatoes before blending? ›

If you're working with an immersion blender, feel free to stick it right into the pot to purée. For a food processor or stand blender, let the cooked tomatoes cool for about 10 minutes before blending. Depending on the size of your blender, you may have to work in batches.

When making shakshuka, the only tricky part is knowing when your eggs are done cooking. The eggs continue to cook from the residual heat, so you don't want to let them cook for too long. Look for whites that are mostly opaque, and yolks that have risen a bit. The eggs should jiggle a bit if you shimmy the pan.

Even though many people today associate shakshuka with Israel, it actually originated in North Africa and the Ottoman Empire: the only reason shakshuka is eaten in Israel is because North African Jewish immigrants brought it there. This brings us to a contentious topic: food appropriation.

Shakshuka is an easy, healthy meal in Israel and other parts of the Middle East and North Africa. It's a simple combination of simmering tomatoes, onions, garlic, spices and gently poached eggs. It's nourishing, filling and one recipe I guarantee you'll make time and again.

Everything just needs to be roughly chopped before it heads into the blender — no need to even peel or seed the tomatoes, as the blender will do the work and break everything down into a smooth sauce.

Yeah, that's right: NO need to peel those tomatoes! The skins are delicious and nutritious, too! We like to throw in fresh oregano and basil at the end for an extra burst of flavor, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Crack in the eggs and simmer

Simmer until the egg whites are just set and the yolks are still slightly runny. Remove from the heat and let stand about 2 minutes before serving.

Shakshuka is traditionally served with runny yolks, and this is my personal preference. But if that's not your thing, you can adjust the cooking time to a jammier or more set yolk.

You know when the eggs are done when the egg whites are an opaque white and the yolks have risen a bit but are still soft. They should still jiggle in the centers when you “shimmy” the pan. (Keep in mind, the eggs will continue to cook after you pull the dish out of the oven.)

Showing your stomach is not a big deal in cities like Haifa or Tel Aviv. Also, very few Israeli women wear shorts! Even though it is VERY hot in Israel, wear pants and get used to it. Jeans, stretch, or wide legged pants – you can buy these for basically 5 American dollars in most places in Israel.

Was shakshuka invented by Jews? ›

Whatever the true origins, it was eventually brought to Israel by Jewish immigrants from Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Libya. At a time when they were struggling financially, this hearty, affordable dish that was very easy to make and made a lot of sense to immigrants.

The main difference between shakshuka and eggs in purgatory is the spices and herbs. Skakshuka features Middle Eastern spices, such as cumin and sweet paprika. Eggs in purgatory does not include these spices and uses Italian herbs, such as oregano and basil.

Serve it with pita or crusty bread for breakfast or brunch...or dinner!

Menemen and shakshuka basically have the same ingredients. The main difference is that shakshuka has eggs added at the end of the cooking process left whole, or slightly broken up. With menemen, eggs are mixed into the tomato sauce, like scrambled eggs. The spices used can also differ, and menemen is usually spicier.

Boiling my tomatoes before blending. Boiling them makes it possible to take the skins off.

Prepare your ingredients, making sure you cook vegetables like sweet potato and cauliflower, and then chill them so they won't be hot in the blender.

In her very direct, non-fussy way, Hazan instructs to halve your tomatoes and cook them in a covered pot for ten minutes before pureeing them in a food mill. After that they are ready to become whatever tomato sauce you prefer. You can even freeze what you have and then defrost and cook the sauce when you are ready.