Published May 17th, 2017
Shakshouka
By Susie Iventosch
Shakshouka Photos Susie Iventosch
INGREDIENTS
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 Ortega chili, diced
1-2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 serrano peppers, finely diced
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed
4 fresh ripe tomatoes, grated on a cheese grater, juices and pulp reserved
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Moroccan paprika
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. ground caraway
4-6 eggs
Minced fresh parsley for garnish
Feta Cheese for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Peel and slice eggplant. Salt both sides and allow to sweat for about 30 minutes. Wipe off excess moisture and cut eggplant into small cubes. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and paprika and sauté over medium heat for a few minutes until onion is translucent. Add garlic, cumin and caraway and continue to cook until fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Add eggplant, peppers and tomatoes (along with their juices) and sauté until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and reduce heat to simmer for about 8 minutes.
Crack eggs into a small bowl, one at a time, and slide into the tomato mixture. Cover and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until eggs whites are set and yolks are cooked as desired.
Serve and sprinkle crumbled feta and parsley over each serving. Serve with fresh pita bread. (Recipe below.)
Note: The shakshouka will be chunkier or smoother, depending upon how finely you chop the vegetables.

Pita Bread
INGREDIENTS
1/2 kilogram all-purpose flour (500 grams)
15 grams fresh yeast or 8 grams dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
350 grams water
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place flour and salt in the bowl of your mixer or KitchenAid. Sprinkle the yeast and brown sugar around the edges of the bowl. Add olive oil and half of the water and start mixing on low speed. Gradually add the rest of the water while mixing. The dough will look very sticky and wet. Continue to mix on medium-low speed for about 8 more minutes, or until the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
Cover the bowl and allow dough to rise in a warm spot in the kitchen for about one hour, until doubled in volume.
Turn dough out of bowl onto a very lightly floured surface and form into a large loaf with your hands. (You will need to dust your hands with a little bit of flour, too.)
Divide dough into 8-10 balls and allow to rise again for about 10 minutes.
Using your fingertips, flatten and spread each ball into a flat shape, approximately 4-5 inches in diameter.
Bake for 10 minutes. The pita is ready when you can see an air bubble in the middle of each round.




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