Tuck into Our Recipe for Shakshuka with Eggplant
Edited by David Haliva, our new book Divine Foodis a visually-striking collection of recipes from Israel and Palestine. The book walks readers through the region’s rich past through the lens of culinary intricacies from mouthwatering stuffed onions to a sumptuous Jerusalem-style chicken. Divine Food is also available in German; browse the book for a lesson both in history and in taste, and dig into the recipe for shakshuka featured below.
Tunisian Jews who immigrated to Israel brought shakshuka—a tomato and egg dish that’s cooked in a frying pan—with them, and it soon became a distinct part of Israel’s regional cuisine. As time progressed, new additions have found their way into the tasty breakfast: Merguez sausages, ripe cheeses, or, in this case, charred eggplant.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
2 medium eggplants
3 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh green chili pepper, deseeded
2 cups red cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp thyme
1 tsp fine salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
Directions
Turn your oven to the grill setting and set the temperature to high.
Arrange the eggplants in a roasting tray, pricking them in two or three places with a fine knife to keep them from bursting, then roast until their skin is charred and their flesh is soft to the touch. Let cool to room temperature.
In a large pan, heat olive oil. Add the onion, garlic and chili and fry until golden. Add the tomatoes and thyme and cook until tomatoes are very soft. Continue cooking for 7-8 minutes, or until sauce starts to thicken. Meanwhile, peel the eggplants and cut the flesh into 2-cm-wide pieces. Lower the heat, add half the salt and pepper to the pan and stir well.
Carefully break the eggs directly into the pan, keeping some distance between them.
Place the eggplant pieces between the eggs, and season with the rest of the salt and pepper. Heat over low heat for 7-8 minutes until the egg-whites are set, but the yolks remain runny.
Serve immediately.