Welcome back to my Let's Cook - Ramadan Series. If you don't know what Ramadan is, it's the ninth month of the Islamic calendar when Muslims fast for 30 days, from sunrise to sunset. It's an incredibly spiritual month for many and I wanted to start it off with a staple of this major holiday.
Now, even though Syrians call this recipe Shuzmuz, the dish originated in either Tunisia or Yemen and is called Shakshuka. After years of my mom making it for me for breakfast, I decided to made it my own way.
This dish is usually enjoyed with pita bread, but you can also use regular toast to dip into it or just eat it with a fork. However, I was feeling spicy and created a "Spicy Zaatar Naan" to dip into the shakshuka this morning.
The combo of the red pepper tomato sauce and the zaatar naan worked so well together and this is something you can make yourself with minimal effort. No need to spend $14 on shakshuka at Tatte when you can make an authentic one at home. So, let's get to the recipe!
Yields: 1-2
Prep time: 8-10 minutes
Total time: 20-25 minutes
This recipe is dairy free and vegetarian.
Ingredients:
1. 3 eggs
2. 2-3 medium sized tomatoes
3. Freshly chopped parsley to garnish
4. Extra virgin olive oil
5. 2 mini shallots
6. 2 cloves of garlic minced
7. Salt
8. Black pepper, Aleppo pepper, zaatar, red pepper flakes
9. 1 Stonefire Naan (I used the garlic kind)
10. 1 TBSP red pepper paste (feel free to opt out of this if you don't have it OR if you don't want it to be too spicy for you)
Instructions:
1. First, grab your tomatoes and wash them thoroughly.
2. Next, chop them medium.
3. Now in a medium sized frying pan, drizzle in 1-2 TBSPS of olive oil, the garlic, and shallots. Let it simmer.
4. Once you can smell the garlic, add in the tomatoes. Stir well and add in 1 TBSP of red pepper paste. Stir well. Add ½ TSP of salt. Stir again then cover. Lower the heat and cook for 5-7 minutes.
5. Now, drizzle in a bit of olive oil and cover again for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Now, make three wells in the tomatoes for your eggs. Crack one egg into each well. Cover the pan and cook until the eggs are done to your liking.
7. Finally, season with freshly ground black pepper and garnish with fresh parsley.
8. During this whole time that you were waiting on the shakshuka to cook - you can make your spicy zaatar naan. First, have your oven preheated to 375.
9. Grab a small bowl and drizzle in 2 TBSPS or so of olive oil. Add in 1 TBSP of zaatar, a pinch of red pepper flakes, ½ TSP of Aleppo pepper, and ¼ TSP of salt. Mix well.
10. Place the naan onto a baking pan and with a brush, coat the naan with the zaatar olive oil mix. Avoid the edges. Bake in the oven until crispy.
11. Gently take them out, slice them into thin strips, and use them to dip into your shakshuka.
