Cindy. for our za'ataar, check out Smittem Kitchen's egg pitas
Three Pepper Shakshuka Pita with Feta and Za’atar
Shakshuka, a North African and Mediterranean dish of eggs cooked in a spicy tomato sauce, is my favorite way to intersect tomatoes and eggs. But it’s not portable. This, with added sweet peppers, a sprinkling of feta and za’atar, all loaded into a hand-held pita, is, and it’s wonderful, though keep some napkins nearby.
If you can’t or don’t wish to purchase za’atar, there are many recipes to make your own on the web. My lazier approach is to use equal parts dried oregano, marjoram, ground sumac, ground cumin and toasted sesame seeds, along with sea salt (about half of one part). It’s delicious on everything from shakshuka to hummus to toasted pita wedges with a drizzle of olive oil.
You can squeeze a single egg and bit of sauce in a small pita, but it’s tight. (Pictured.) A larger pita will hold one egg and a nice ladleful of sauce or 2 eggs and a lesser amount of sauce.
Serves 2 to 4
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed then minced
1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced into thin strips
1 Anaheim or 1 jalapeño chile, cored and sliced into thin strips
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted if you can get them
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons (or more to taste) za’atar
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional), to garnish
6 small or 4 large pitas
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion and cook until it softens a bit, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute more. Add peppers (all varieties) and sauté them until they soften a bit, about 5 minutes. Add salt, paprika and cumin and cook for one minute more. Pour in tomatoes and then half a can (you can eyeball this) of water and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer sauce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings to taste.
While sauce simmers, gently warm your pitas.
Make 6 indentations in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Put a lid on the pot and cook the eggs until your desired firmness; after 3 to 4 minutes, they should have set whites and mostly loose yolks. After 5 to 6, they’ll be fully set in the middle. Sprinkle surface of dish with za’atar, feta and parsley (if using), holding a little feta and parsley back if you want additional garnish. Cut open each pita and scoop one (or two, if using large enough to fit) egg and surrounding sauce into each pita. Garnish with reserved feta and parsley, if desired and eat immediately.
Do ahead: The sauce can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container until needed. Bring back to a low simmer before adding eggs.
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2014/05/five-egg-sandwiches/
