Food from the Mediterranean Area

JERUSALEM - ISRAEL

 Chakchouka

4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/3 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup thinly sliced bell peppers, any color
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, or to taste
• 2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes ( or 1 ½ cup tomato sauce )
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt and some black pepper
• 1 hot chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped, or ½ tbsp. red crushed pepper (optional)
• 4 eggs

Directions

1.      Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, bell peppers, and garlic; cook and stir until the vegetables have softened and the onion has turned translucent, about 5 minutes.

2.      Combine the tomatoes or tomato sauce, cumin, paprika, salt ,pepper and chile pepper or red crushed peppers (optional) into a bowl and mix briefly. Pour the tomato mixture into the skillet, and stir to combine.

3.      Simmer, uncovered, until the tomato juices have cooked off, about 10 minutes. Make four indentations in the tomato mixture for the eggs. Crack the eggs into the indentations. Cover the skillet and let the eggs cook until they're firm but not dry, about 5 to 8 minutes 

Serve this dish for breakfast, lunch or brunch