Shakshuka With Chickpeas And Swiss Chard Recipes

SHAKSHUKA WITH CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas, cumin and a pinch each of salt and pepper; stir well to coat. Add the tomatoes and 1/3 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
• Make 8 wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each; run the edge of a spatula through the whites to distribute them, being careful not to break the yolks. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the egg whites are just set, 8 to 10 minutes. (The eggs will continue cooking after you remove them from the oven.) Meanwhile, wrap the pita bread in foil and warm in the oven, about 5 minutes; cut into wedges.
• Combine the yogurt, hummus and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle the herbs over the eggs; season with salt and pepper. Serve with the pita bread and hummus sauce.

SHAKSHUKA WITH SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In a large oven-proof skillet (I used cast-iron), heat the olive oil. Add the bacon, if using, and onion garlic and chard stems and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the stems are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, dried basil and crushed red pepper and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• 2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch the chard leaves for 3 minutes. Drain and let cook slightly. Squeeze out the excess water. Form the chard leaves into 8 small piles and arrange them in the sauce around the side of the skillet. (I blanched and dried the chard in advance to make things easier--it'll keep for at least 30mins/1 hr).
• 3. Crack the eggs into the skillet between the piles of chard. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake the eggs for 12 to 15 minutes, until the egg whites are just set and the yolks are slightly runny.
• 4. Transfer the skillet to a rack and sprinkle the cheese on top. Let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with basil and serve immediately.
• Note: I served with crusty bread which was great for dipping and making sure no sauce went to waste! You can use plain marinara but the arrabiata gave this a nice little kick--highly recommend it. I made without bacon and didn't miss it.