Tasty n Sons’ Shakshuka with Baked Eggs

Serves 6to 8

Note: This recipe, which can be prepared in one large, stainless steel pan or individual ramekins, make 2½ quarts of the tomatobased shakshuka sauce. Don’t fret over the quantity: It freezes well.

INGREDIENTS

1¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 medium sweet onions, julienned 12 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon ground piment d’Espelette 1½ teaspoons ground pimenton de la Vera (sweet paprika)

1½ teaspoons ground paprika

2 bay leaves

1 quart canned stewed whole plum tomatoes with liquid

1 quart red bell peppers (about 8 medium), roasted and julienned

2 cups green bell peppers (about 5 medium), roasted and julienned Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 to 8 large eggs

1 loaf rustic bread, sliced into ½-inch thick slices DIRECTIONS In a large, heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot set over medium heat, add 1 cup of the olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic for 10 to 12 minutes, or until translucent.

Add the sugar, piment, pimenton, paprika and bay leaves and cook for about 2minutes, or until the flavor and scent of the spices bloom. Add the tomatoes and bell peppers and simmer slowly, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Divide the hot shakshuka mixture evenly among six to eight shallow ovenproof containers. (Tasty n Sons uses cazuelas, but any ramekin-type dish will work). Make a nest for each egg in the stew, crack the eggs into the hollows, and season with salt and pepper. Place the ramekins in the oven and check them every 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them once the egg whites have set. Pierce the whites with a spoon to test for doneness.

While the shakshuka is baking, drizzle the sliced bread on both sides with the remaining ¼ cup olive oil, season with salt and pepper on both sides and toast, grill or bake at 400degrees until the slices are nicely toasted. Serve with the shakshuka. — From “Hello! My Name is Tasty: Global Diner Favorites from Portland’s Tasty Restaurants” by John Gorham and Liz Crain (Sasquatch Books, 2017, $29.95)