A Meatless Monday Recipe: Shakshuka-Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce

 Shakshuka: Poached Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

¼ cup chopped onion

2 Tbls. chopped sweet red pepper (or yellow or green)

2 Tbls. chopped parsley

1 glove garlic chopped

1 hot red pepper or pepper flakes**

1 tsp sugar, optional

1 tsp. olive oil or spray

2 cups canned tomatoes with juice, chopped

1 Tbls. tomato paste

Salt and black pepper (optional)

**How hot and spicy you want your shakshuka to be-very hot: use a whole red pepper and leave it in all the time, medium hot-use a whole red pepper but remove the seeds, mildly hot-saute the hot pepper but don’t cook it in the tomato sauce. I make the mildly hot and then my husband adds some hot pepper flakes or tabasco sauce to his.

1. Saute onion and pepper.

2. When the onion and pepper are soft, add the chopped garlic and parsley and sauté for 1 minute. If using the hot pepper, add it with the chopped garlic and parsley.

3. Remove the hot pepper for mild heat, and add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, (For a hotter dish, keep the pepper in. Add the sugar if using. Add a shake of salt and pepper

4. Let the sauce cook about 15-20 minutes covered, Remove the cover for the last five minutes if you see there’s a lot of liquid still.

5. Crack the eggs, one at a time, into a cup and gently slide them into the sauce. Cover and let the eggs cook a bit to firm up, then gently spoon sauce over the tops. Cook until done.

 Here's how the eggs look as they firm up enough to spoon the sauce on top:

 And here's the dish plated and ready to eat. Serve with bread and salad for a delicious lunch or light supper.