RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Ruth Heiges Pepper and Tomatoes with Eggs: Shakshooka - pareve
Shakshooka [pronounced shahkSHOOkah] ~~~~~~~~~~ Use proportions of 3 parts tomatoes to 2 parts sweet peppers to 1 part onions oil tomato paste garlic, optional salt and pepper, to taste My daughter's in-laws make it using 3 kilos of tomatoes, 2 kilos sweet peppers (varied colors add to the eye appeal), 1 kilo onions and an entire garlic bulb. Chop or rough-dice all of the vegetables. Cover the bottom of a deep pot with oil (probably about an inch deep). Heat the oil, add all of the vegetables, salt and ground black pepper then simmer slowly, uncovered, for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Add enough tomato sauce to "marry" everything together, while keeping the entire melange very thick. Adjust the seasoning. At this point, it can be served alone or over rice (hot). Freeze the rest in portions appropriate to your family size. A favorite way of enjoying shakshooka is to take one to two cups of the mixture; place in a small frying pan or saucepan with oil or water; make two wells in the mixture and break an egg into each. Cover and heat, until the eggs are soft- cooked. Serve this either with a side of fresh salad or in a pita (add fresh vegetables such as chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and onions to the pita). Archivist's note: "Shakshooka is the name of a whole class of egg and vegetable dishes of the North African Jewish kitchen. Potatoes, cauliflower, zucchini or other cooked vegetables might be used, [although tomatoes, peppers and onions are the most popular.] The technique can vary, too. Some people cook the mixture over low heat without stirring, and the result is similar to a flat omelet or an Italian frittata. Others add the eggs, whole, and poach them in the vegetable mixture." International Jewish Cookbook Faye Levy
