Shakshuka with Persimmons
This delicious pepper stew hails from north africa and the middle east, and is full of comforting spices and deep tannic flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 red bell peppers seeded, quartered, and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound persimmons coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon aleppo pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 4 cups jarred or canned chopped tomatoes
- Flake kosher sea salt to taste to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 5 eggs
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley
- Good crusty bread to serve alongside
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened and transparent, about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and continue cooking until they soften slightly and are very fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes.
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Add garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the persimmons, tomato paste, paprika, aleppo pepper, coriander, and cumin and cook until the persimmons have softened and released their juices, about 6 to 8 minutes more.
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Add the tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking until the peppers soften, about 10 minutes.
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Turn the heat off on the stovetop and add salt and black pepper to taste. Use the back of a spoon to create 5 wells in the top of the shakshuka, and crack an egg into each one.
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Place the Dutch oven in the oven and bake until the whites are just barely set and the yolks are still jiggly, about 7 to 10 minutes. Keep a very close eye on it the last few minutes of cooking to make sure you don't overcook the eggs.
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Remove it from the oven, top with with the fresh cilantro, and serve alongside the crusty bread.