Shakshuka with Olives & Hummus

What the heck is "shakshuka" anyway?

When I was a kid we called this "eggs in purgatory" and when I got a little older, we called it "hangover eggs".

I now call this dish "shakshuka", a Middle Eastern name I learned from my favorite chef Yotam Ottolenghi (who is Italian & Israeli....best combination).

It's basically just poached eggs done in a tomato sauce, usually prepared in a cast iron skillet with some spices.

Here, I made it for one. Just for me.

This is the best breakfast I can think of. Good for one or a crowd.

Shakshuka w/ Hummus & Olives: (adapted from Primal Gourmet) serves 2-4

2-3 eggs
1 small can of cherry tomatoes w/ juice (or 1 cup of halved fresh cherry tomatoes)
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
a small yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp harissa paste
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton)
handful of kalamata olives
fresh cilantro, parsley or chives for garnish
hummus to swirl into at the end (I buy King's Organic Hummus)

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or very well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Add onions and garlic to the oil, season with a pinch of salt and sauté until translucent and soft.
Sprinkle in smoked paprika and toss to coat the onions and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute with the spices.

Add in tomatoes, harissa and olives and season with another pinch of salt and pepper.

Mix the tomatoes with the onions and garlic. Lower the heat to a medium-low and simmer the sauce.
Continue to cook the tomatoes for a few minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom of the pan from burning.

When the tomatoes are nice and chunky and starting to thicken, begin to crack the eggs directly into the tomato sauce.

Using a wooden spoon or spatula, create a small hole in the sauce and carefully crack an egg into the hole you have made. This will help the egg to cook into the sauce, rather than on top of the sauce.

Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the whites have firmed-up but the yolks are still runny, approximately 4 minutes (cook longer if you like a firm yolk).

At the end, swirl in about a tablespoon of hummus (don't skip this, it's fantastic).

Garnish with fresh herbs.

Serve with pita toasts and dig in!