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Shakshuka (Eggs baked in a spicy tomato sauce)

INGREDIENTS

TOMATO SAUCE

• 400g canned crushed tomatoes

• 1 + 3/4 cup fresh diced tomatoes

• 3-4 cloves garlic

• 2 tablespoons harissa powder or paste

• 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 tablespoon cumin powder

• 1/2 tablespoon salt

• 1 teaspoon sumac powder

• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• OPTIONAL: 1/2 onion and/or a diced capsicum

EGGS

• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons cold water

• 1/2 cup chickpea flour (also called besan or gram flour)

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeño in brine (including brine)

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder (tapioca starch)

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• OPTIONAL: 1/4 teaspoon black salt (kala namak)

+ fresh parsley to serve.

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees celsius.

• In a large pan over medium-low heat, toast the harissa, cumin, sumac, sweet paprika and cinnamon until fragrant and set aside. Return the pan to the heat and add a dash of olive oil and the garlic - fry for 2-3 minutes.

• Add the fresh tomatoes and toasted spices into the pan, stirring until well mixed. Add in the tinned tomatoes, apple cider vinegar and salt - bring to a boil and reduce/simmer until it achieves the consistency of store bought tomato pasta sauce.

• In a blender, mix all the ingredients for the eggs. In a large oven proof dish (with a lid), spread the tomato mixture before pouring the egg mix on top in a haphazard fashion.

• Bake for 30-40 minutes, covered, before allowing to stand for at least 15 minutes before serving with fresh, chopped parsley and crusty bread.

TIPS

• You can make the tomato sauce and/or egg mixture ahead of time and refrigerate both until ready to mix in a pan and bake.

• If refrigerating ahead of time, take advantage of the fact that the tomato sauce will be cold and form wells in it before pouring the egg mixture in for more solid eggs.

• Play around with the ratios of harissa/sumac/sweet paprika/cinnamon to get the spice level right for you. I like to mix the sumac into the tomato sauce around where I pour the egg mixture, to mimic shakshuka where they coat the eggs in sumac before baking.