Shakshuka is an amazing breakfast or brunch recipe (it's also wonderful for dinner). The combination of simmering tomatoes, onions, garlic, poached eggs, spices and feta will make your kitchen smell incredible.
Set a large skillet over medium-low heat (see notes). Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil and swirl it around. Add the onions along and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, sugar and red pepper flakes. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, harissa. Use a potato masher to carefully break up the tomatoes. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste the sauce and add additional seasonings, if desired. Stir in the greens.
Turn off the heat. Using a spoon, make 6-8 wells (depending on how many eggs you're using) that are evenly spaced out. Crack an egg into each indentation, then spoon some of the sauce over the whites, being careful not to disturb the yolks. Adding some sauce over the whites will help them set faster than the yolks, which should ideally still be runny at the end.
Turn the heat back on to bring the sauce to a gentle simmer (low or medium-low), cover, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your preferred doneness.
Remove from the heat and sprinkle with feta cheese and cilantro. Serve with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
Notes
This recipe will still work without the harissa, though I highly recommend using it. It adds a lot of flavor and depth. If omitting, you can increase the paprika and cumin to taste to make up for the missing spice.I recommend using a good quality block of feta that’s sold in brine, then crumbling it yourself right before serving.Shakshuka is often prepared in a cast iron skillet. You can use cast iron, but make sure it's very well seasoned, otherwise the acidity of the tomatoes can create an issue. Highly acidic ingredients will strip the seasoning, cause discoloration and possibly result in metallic-tasting food.