Israel meets Italy! No I’m not talking about falafel spaghetti (ew). It’s Shakshuka Puttanesca!
Okay so I Googled falafel spaghetti and it’s a real thing! Damnit. And the recipes actually look good. Real good. I went from “You couldn’t pay me to eat falafel spaghetti” to “going to the store to purchase the ingredients, do you need anything?” Damn you, Internet! (*Shakes fist!*)
I’m going to go out on a limb though (because the falafel spaghetti ingredients are still sitting on my counter) and say Shakshuka Puttanesca wins this informal Italy-Israel hybrid showdown.
If you don’t like briny things like olives, capers, and anchovies (yes, anchovies!) then you may not enjoy this version. Maybe you could enjoy my Green Shakshuka or Shakshuka with Summer Squash and Goat Cheese or Caprese Shakshuka instead! I don’t mind.
(Anchovies! Dooo it. They add a magical salty briny depth and just melts into the other ingredients. You won’t even know they are there. Kind of like the other members of Destiny’s Child.)
But let me back up a tidbit. I didn’t even explain what the heck shakshuka is! Eggs poached in a slightly spicy tomato sauce, usually sopped up with a boatload of pita bread. Oh it’s good, and a perfect canvas for creativity. And by creativity, I mean cheese. Yes, lots of cheese is a necessity too. This one is topped with fresh ricotta, and in place of pita is a chewy baguette.
I didn’t explain puttanesca either! Puttanesca literally means “of the whore’s”. Hehe. Some say the dish was composed by seaside Italian prostitutes throwing available ingredients in their sauce. Others say all the bold flavors make the tasty sauce, but also one that is quick and dirty to prepare (get it?) And I won’t even mention any of the references to the salty, fishy taste. Annnyway.
Another fun factoid about this dish: it’s the world’s perfect hangover food. That’s a fact, not opinion. But good try arguing. Think about it, it’s a bloody Mary in food form. Minus the alcohol (that can be on the side). Something about the acidic tomatoes, greasy cheese and carby, well, carbs, and you can wave your hangover goodbye. Or just pair with a mimosa for a hang on! Your choice.
I was inspired to make this dish by a hectic last few weeks. I was totally going to detox until SXSW but that lasted about as long as a cold front in Austin. About 6 hours. I mean it’s not my fault the 80 degree weather last Saturday coincided with a brewery tasting! Not my fault at all.
But between those shenanigans and my birthday and National Bagel and Lox Day and endless stream of happy hours, I needed something healthy but still comforting. Shakshuka to the rescue!
This should make 3-4 servings, but if it makes just one, I get you.
No need for plates or silverware, eat her right out of the pan with bread. I like to use my giant Le Creuset for the job. Barberic is the new classy. Spread the word.
Shakshuka Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ large white onion small diced
- 1 bel pepper any color Jew like, small diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced (yes really!)
- 1 can anchovies diced
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives or a mix diced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 14.5- ounce can of diced tomatoes undrained
- Zest and juice from 1 lemon
- 6 eggs
- 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish
- Crusty bread for dipping
Instructions
- In a large sauté or cast iron pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and sauté your onion and pepper for 3-4 minutes or until slightly soft. Add in garlic, anchovies, capers and olives and sauté for 1 more minute. Anchovies should melt into the other ingredients.
- Then add red pepper flakes and stir. Then in the tomatoes and lemon juice and zest and simmer uncovered until thick, about 10-15 minutes.
- Crack eggs one at a time into a ramekin and gently pour each one into the an egg sized hole you make in the shakshuka, evenly spaced around the pan. This method helps the eggs keep their shape. Cover with foil and cook for 5-7 more minutes just until the egg whites are set. Cook longer if you want the yolks set too.
- Dollop with ricotta cheese, garnish with parsley and serve with crusty bread!
24 Comments
Pinned and had to share on my Facebook! People are afraid of anchovies, but they just give a luscious background flavor that is hard to identify if you don’t know. MMMmmm… You are awesome!!!
Thanks, Lin!!
This is PERFECT!!! We eat puttanesca ALL the time and “melt” the anchovies into the olive oil..soooo good!! I heard that the prostitutes would make this sauce and leave the windows open to “lure” their men 😉 Good to know..ha!
Ha I like that theory! Yes the anchovies add the perfect extra something something. Maybe like the prostitutes?
Ha! Falafel spaghetti does sound really good! But anything falafel is a win in my book. This skillet! Gorgeous!
Thanks, Liz! 🙂
This looks perfect and I really want to see that falafel spaghetti. Interesting.
Now, here’s a question. I’m looking for a dairy recipe for Passover (perhaps a kugel using matzoh) that is savory, rather than sweet. Got anything?
A belated happy birthday to you!
What about potato kugel with cheese? If you google falafel spaghetti you’ll see!
That might be a good one – thanks for the suggestion. Don’t know why I hadn’t thought potato. I’m definitely looking up falafel spaghetti.
🙂
Whoops – I was wrong about my kugel search. The relative I’m searching for is looking for NON dairy and savory. Suggestions?
Then potato kugel with no cheese? It’s a classic! I have a few recipes on my blog. One with caramelized onions and Sriracha, one with extra veggies, one mini version with zucchini.
Ooh that one with onions and sriracha sounds awesome. OK, I’m going to go dig around.
Thanks!
YUM! This looks amazing and sounds delish!
Thanks!
Just for your information and general education: “Shakshouka is a staple of Tunisian, Libyan, Algerian, Moroccan, and Egyptian cuisines traditionally served in a cast iron pan or tajine with bread to mop up the sauce. It is also popular in Israel, where it was introduced by Tunisian Jews,[4] and was later adopted by Palestinians in the West Bank.”
It’s North African. Tunisian, to be exact.
Source: I’m Tunisian.
Thanks for the info, Nedra!
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