shakshuka

(turkish salad)

Directions 

Heat a deep, large skillet or sauté pan on medium. Slowly warm olive oil in the pan. Add chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add 3 chopped bell pepper (red and green), sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened. Add 1 eggplant cut into cubes and sauté for a few minutes until it begins to soften. Add 4 cups ripe diced tomatoes, or 2 cans (14 oz.
each) diced tomatoes, stir till blended. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, spices (1 tsp sweet paprika, Cayenne pepper or cumin) and a pinch of sugar, stir well, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 15-25 minutes till it starts to reduce. At this point, you can taste the mixture and spice it to your preference. Add salt and pepper to taste, more sugar for a sweeter sauce, or more cayenne pepper for a spicier Shakshuka (be careful with the cayenne... it is extremely spicy!). Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. I usually place 4-5 eggs around the outer edge and 1 in the center. The eggs will cook "over easy" style on top of the tomato
sauce. Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Keep an eye on the skillet to make sure that the sauce doesn't reduce too much, which can lead to burning. Garnish with the chopped parsley, if desired. Shakshuka can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.