Shakshuka

I'm not sure if you can tell, but there are eight eggs sitting on the top of this pot of Shakshuka. This isn't exactly how I grew up knowing it... I was used to frying onions, adding chopped tomatoes and frying a little more before adding beaten eggs with a dash of milk, to make what could best be described as scrambled eggs with onion and tomato. So when I first saw Shakshuka like this I was surprised and almost hesitant to eat it. The sauce of this Shakshuka did boil over the eggs a little, but normally you can see the egg whites on top too. This dish although foreign to, what I presume would be anyone that isn't Israeli or Middle Eastern is something that you will find on almost any breakfast menu throughout Israel. Not sure what to make for dinner? This works well too! A combination of fried onions (garlic optional), red peppers and tomatoes with some tomato paste and water to make a consistency of a pasta sauce. Spices like thyme, parsley, pepper, paprika, cumin and bay leaves are added, as well as sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes and a little salt for seasoning. Once the sauce has thickened to a nice consistency and the flavours are to your taste, you break the eggs into the pan pouring into gaps of the mixture. You then cover and allow the eggs to poach over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until the egg just sets. Served out of a hot pan at a restaurant or onto plates at home this is best eaten with fresh bread for dunking.