Classic Shakshuka

Shakshuka arrived in Israel with North African immigrants and quickly became the nation's breakfast. It spread across the Mediterranean, each region adding its own accent. Tunisians favor more heat. Moroccans add preserved lemon. The Israelis made it famous. What unites every version is this: eggs cooked gently in a sauce bold enough to stand on its own, served in the same vessel that created it.

This is peasant food in the finest sense. Tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and a fistful of spices transform into something far greater than their parts. The eggs are not scrambled or fried but poached directly in the simmering sauce, their whites setting while the yolks remain liquid gold. When you break that yolk with a piece of good bread, sauce and egg mingling together, you understand why this dish has conquered kitchens from Tel Aviv to Brooklyn.

I've served shakshuka to crowds of twenty and tables of two. It scales beautifully. The sauce improves with age, so you can make it days ahead and simply crack your eggs when guests arrive. The theater of bringing a bubbling skillet to the table, steam rising, never fails to impress. This is honest food that asks only for good ingredients and a little attention.