Tunisian Chakchouka

La storia di questo piatto

Chakchouka is the breakfast-and-supper dish of the Maghreb, and in Tunisia it carries the fire of harissa, the red pepper paste that is the country's signature. It belongs to the shared table: a wide pan of peppers, tomatoes and onions set down in the middle, eggs resting in its heat.

Ingredienti

• 700 g Red and yellow bell peppers
• 500 g Ripe tomatoes
• 2 medium Onions
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 8 pieces Eggs
• 2 tablespoons Tunisian harissa
• 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
• 80 ml Olive oil
• q.b. to taste Salt and black pepper
• 1 handful Fresh parsley

Preparazione

1. Cut the peppers into strips about 1 cm thick. Cut the tomatoes into large pieces, roughly the size of a walnut. Slice the onions thinly and peel the garlic, then crush it with the flat side of the knife or coarsely chop it. Pour the oil into a very wide pan (30–32 cm in diameter) and set the heat to medium-high. Add the onions and garlic, stirring often with a wooden spoon. They are ready when they become translucent (you can see through them), when they smell intensely fragrant and when the edges begin to turn lightly golden. They should be soft but not blackened: this takes about 3–4 minutes.
2. Add the harissa and ground cumin directly into the sautéed base. Stir continuously with a spoon for 1–2 minutes without stopping, moving the bottom of the pan well. You will notice the aromas of the spices rising strongly and the pan beginning to smell intensely of warmth and spice. This step 'wakes up' the flavours of the spices and distributes them throughout the base.
3. Add the cut peppers to the pan. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spoon. The peppers are ready when they become soft to the touch and their colour turns darker and duller (less bright). At this point add the chopped tomatoes and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring gently. You will see the sauce become creamier and redder, and the vegetables will begin to release their juices. Finally, taste a spoonful of the sauce and add salt and pepper until the flavour satisfies you.
4. Lower the heat to medium-low. Take the back of a spoon and gently create 8 small wells in the vegetable mixture, spacing them evenly across the pan. Crack the 8 eggs, one at a time, and let the contents of each slide into a well: try to keep the yolk intact in the centre. After adding all the eggs, cover the pan with a lid (aluminium foil also works). Cook for 6–8 minutes: the yolks are ready when, gently touched, they bounce slightly and become slightly opalescent (the yellow colour turns opaque). The whites around them must be completely white and not transparent.
5. Turn off the heat. Generously sprinkle the entire surface with finely chopped fresh parsley. Bring the pan straight to the table still hot and steaming: the rising vapour is part of the spectacle! Serve with warm toasted bread: use it to scoop up the fragrant sauce left at the bottom of the pan, which is the most delicious part.