It is easy to tire of winter . . . and winter squash, potatoes, carrots, beets, and turnips — these once-exciting storage crops that have been sustaining us since November. So if you’re finding yourself positively bored with your usual winter flavors — with no sign of spring in sight — try this remarkably tasty and wonderfully easy recipe for dinner one night. You won’t be disappointed.
Shakshuka
Adapted from Epicurious.com
This dish comes out great with jalepeños, but I’ve made it without in a pinch, and it’s tasty that way too. Good quality local eggs and feta will really make a difference here.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 medium or large onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 2 jalapeños, seeded, finely chopped
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked until tender, or 1 15 oz can
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1-quart canned tomatoes or a 28 or 32 oz can crushed or whole and crushed during cooking
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup coarsely crumbled feta
- 8 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Warm pita bread
Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat*. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeños; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add chickpeas, paprika, and cumin and cook for 2 minutes longer.
Add crushed tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes—season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle feta evenly over sauce. Crack eggs one at a time and place over sauce, spacing evenly apart. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, 5–8 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve with pita for dipping.
*Since acidic tomato juices can damage the finish on your cast iron, try using an enameled cast iron pot or another ovenproof skillet for this dish.