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Green Shakshuka

Green Shakshuka

“Everything I love about Milk Street,” one reader writes. “The perfect simple meal, with supermarket ingredients combined in a different way.”

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    35 minutes
  • Rating

Classic shakshuka is a skillet dish of eggs poached in a spicy tomato-based sauce. But according to Einat Admony and Janna Gur, authors of “Shuk,” in Israel, where shakshuka gained a foothold after its introduction by North African immigrants, a green version made with leafy vegetables is nearly as popular. Our green shakshuka, inspired by Limor Chen’s version at Delamina East in London, includes leeks, spinach and peas and is finished with feta cheese. We recommend serving it with warm flatbread.

Tip

Don’t skip the salt massage for the spinach. This pretreatment reduces the leaves’ volume so the spinach wilts faster in the skillet. That said, don’t overwork the salted spinach or it will begin to throw off moisture even before it hits the pan. Also, don’t forget to taste and season the greens before adding the eggs. Once the eggs are in, the greens cannot be stirred.

Ingredients
  • 1

    pound baby spinach

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 2

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1

    medium-large leek, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, rinsed and dried

  • 1

    small yellow onion, chopped

  • 2

    medium garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 1

    cup frozen peas

  • 1½

    teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1½

    teaspoons Aleppo pepper or 1 teaspoon hot paprika plus ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 3

    ounces feta cheese, crumbled (¾ cup)

  • 6

    large eggs

Step 1

In a large bowl, toss the spinach with ¾ teaspoon salt and, using your hands, massage the leaves until they begin to wilt; this should take about 1 minute. Set aside.

Step 2

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the leek and onion, then cook, stirring occasionally, until fully softened but not browned, 7 to 9 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach and cook, tossing with tongs, until the leaves are fully wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the peas, cumin, Aleppo pepper, ¼ cup water and two-thirds of the feta, then stir just until the feta begins to melt, about 30 seconds. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.

Step 3

With the pan over medium-low, use the back of a spoon to form 6 evenly spaced wells in the sauce, each about 2 inches wide and deep enough that the bottom of the pan is visible.

Crack 1 egg into each, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 5 to 8 minutes, rotating the skillet about halfway through for even cooking. Off heat, sprinkle with the remaining feta.

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