Shakshuka with what you already have

Quarantine so far has been equal parts “It’s time to try baking croissants for the first time” and “How about beans for dinner.” Shakshuka is the ideal balance and I kind of forgot about it until now. My friend Ellie was saying how it intimidates her but I’m here to tell you why it’s easy, approachable, and really hard to mess up. It’s also easy to adjust for different serving sizes—just use a smaller or bigger skillet, adjust ingredient amounts accordingly, and taste as you go. The key is in cooking down the tomatoes with the spices—this is when all the flavors develop so that it doesn’t just taste like you’re eating canned tomatoes. Of course, any kind of add-ins are welcome—sausage, chickpeas, some kind of crumbly cheese, any fresh herbs, etc. but are by no means necessary.

Simple Shakshuka

This serves 1-2, and fills a small skillet, but I make larger servings easily too

Olive oil and butter
Some diced onion—I used a half of a small cooking onion
A couple cloves of garlic, minced
Spices—I love curry, Moroccan seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder (also turmeric in this case), but you could do a chili powder/cumin version, or an Italian seasoning version
Salt and pepper
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
A bit of honey
A handful of spinach or other greens, if you have them
A couple of eggs
Feta, goat, or really any crumbly or harder cheese
Chopped parsley, cilantro, or basil if you have it, but not necessary

In a small skillet, heat a little olive oil and butter (maybe 1.5 T total) over medium low heat. Add in diced onion and cook for five or so minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and whatever spices you want to use—I probably use a 1/2 tsp each of curry powder, Moroccan seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder (and a sprinkle of turmeric) but just adjust accordingly. Stir around to prevent burning and get the flavors all incorporated. Add in tomatoes and stir the bottom of the pan to make sure all the brown bits are scraped up and stirred in. I also add a little squeeze of honey because I just think it helps the depth of tomato flavor. Turn up the heat to get the tomatoes simmering. Cook for 10-15 minutes until tomatoes have reduced a bit and become thicker and more flavorful. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in greens. Lower heat to medium low again, and crack in a couple of eggs, and cover pan with a lid. Check after 4-5 minutes—you just want to cook until egg whites are opaque. Sprinkle on cheese and whatever herbs you have. Done!