Shakshuka Tunisienne

About This Recipe

While Shakshuka is often associated with Israeli cuisine in the West, it originated in Tunisia and the Maghreb before travelling east through the Sephardic Jewish diaspora. The Tunisian version — chakchouka (شكشوكة) — is distinctly bolder and spicier than its Israeli counterpart, built on a foundation of roasted peppers, heavily spiced tomato sauce and the defining addition of merguez, the North African lamb sausage fragrant with harissa, cumin and paprika. Whole eggs are cracked into the sizzling sauce at the end and poached until just set. Eaten with Tunisian khobz flatbread for scooping, this is robust, deeply aromatic, warming food.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4merguez sausages(sliced into 2cm pieces)
• 6eggs
• 400 gcanned whole tomatoes(crushed)
• 2 largered or green peppers(deseeded and sliced)
• 1 largeonion(sliced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tablespoonsharissa paste(adjust to heat preference)
• 1 teaspoonground cumin
• 1 teaspoonsweet paprika
• 0.5 teaspooncaraway seeds
• 3 tablespoonsolive oil
• 2 tablespoonsfresh coriander(chopped, to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the merguez

   Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the merguez pieces and cook, turning, until browned all over, about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside (leave the fat in the pan).

2. 2

   Sauté the peppers and onion

   Add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and peppers and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until very soft and beginning to caramelise at the edges.

3. 3

   Add aromatics and harissa

   Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, caraway seeds and harissa. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until very fragrant.

4. 4

   Add tomatoes and simmer

   Add the crushed tomatoes and season with salt. Return the merguez to the pan. Simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes until the sauce is thick and deeply flavoured.

5. 5

   Add the eggs

   Make 6 wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each well. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny.

6. 6

   Serve

   Scatter fresh coriander over the top. Bring the pan to the table and serve with warm flatbread for scooping.

Variations

• •

  A fully vegetarian Tunisian chakchouka omits the merguez — simply increase the peppers and add a pinch of ras el hanout.

• •

  Some Tunisian versions add a layer of sliced courgette to the sauce.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

The sauce (without eggs) keeps for 4 days in the fridge. Add fresh eggs each time.

Frequently Asked Questions