The first time I told my husband I was making Shakshuka for dinner he looked mildly confused – like he didn’t know whether I had just sneezed or not.  Little did he know that this strange word was about to become our favorite easy dinner, ever.  We love Shakshuka. It’s versatile, quick, easy, and best of all – it’s pretty cheap.

I usually serve Shakshuka with fresh hunks of baguette which are perfect for sopping up the sauce and runny bits of the egg.  The dinner always ends with me wiping the pan clean.

So, for those of you who’ve never had or made Shakshuka – prepare to meet your new best friend.  It looks complicated, but it’s not.  The name means eggs poached in tomato sauce, that that’s really all it is!

My favorite version of Shakshuka mixes chickpeas in with the tomato sauce, but I’ve used white beans before and have been wanting to try a Mexican flaired version using black beans and cilantro.  That’s what I mean by versatile – there’s so many “cultural” directions you can go in.

The recipe below is a beefed up version of Shakshuka, but you can make it as “fancy” as this, or really make it simple using onion, tomato sauce, garlic, and eggs. Next time you’re racking your brain for dinner – take a peek in your fridge and pantry.  If you’ve got those four ingredients , then you’ve got enough for Shakshuka! Give it a try you won’t regret it.

Shakshuka

Serves 4 to 6

¼ cup olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained

2 teaspoons  paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup coarsely crumbled feta

8 large eggs

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add chickpeas, paprika, and cumin and cook for 2 minutes longer.

Add crushed tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle feta evenly over sauce. Crack eggs one at a time and place over sauce, spacing evenly apart. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, 5-8 minutes (go for a full 10 if you like your eggs firmer). Garnish with parsley.  Serve with baguette.