My shakshuka, which is eight ingredients,
starting here on my cooktop with just some onions.
I've sliced them thinly and I've cooked them down
with a little salt and pepper until they're translucent.
Very, very simple.
And when they're nice and soft,
all I do is I add in a whole bunch of cherry tomatoes.
And this is what, I think,
is sorta the brilliance of a tomato.
You just cook it down,
and they start to burst and they make a sauce.
You need to do nothing else.
A little pinch of salt, a little pinch of pepper,
and you just cook and cook and cook.
And Gail, and also you can get them year round.
Exactly, grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes,
and by cooking them down, you're also gonna dry out
and really concentrate that flavor.
So as you can see here,
this is this exact same ingredients.
Right.
Cooked down all of the cherry tomatoes.
They burst, they get juicy and soft,
and to them I'm gonna add a whole bunch
of chopped red pepper.
And then I just keep cooking.
It takes a little time and patience,
but I find the process of making
a burst cherry tomato and pepper sauce super satisfying.
Now, literally I could take this, stop right here,
toss it with pasta, and be totally done, right?
(Rachael claps hands)
But I'm going to make my shakshuka.
So I let this cook.
I'm gonna cook this down for about eight to 10 minutes.
So look how beautiful this is all cooked down.
And I'm going to do a few little things.
I'm going to make four little divots
in the sauce right there.
And to them, this is what I like to do with my eggs.
I take little dishes and I crack the eggs into them.
That way you're not cracking it over stove.
And you know, worrying about a piece of shell going in.
Oh, shell, right. And I'm just gonna pour
each egg right into the little holes I've made.
I have four of them right here.
I'm just pouring them.
You don't have to be precious about it
because it's all gonna bake on top.
It's all gonna work out.
Exactly, it's very forgiving.
So I have my four,
and then I'm going to take a little bit of mint
but you can use any herb you have on hand.
Sprinkle it around, just kinda rip it gently
and sprinkle them around.
And I'm gonna take about half teaspoon of Za'atar.
Now Za'atar is a spice blend, Sesame, thyme,
Sumac. Sumac usually.
Salt, exactly.
And I'm just gonna sprinkle it really lightly
at the very top, a little more salt and pepper
because always, (Rachael chuckles)
and this is gonna go into the oven
for about 10 to 12 minutes at 350, 325,
and that is about it.
I'm gonna show you how it looks when it comes out
because it's so gorgeous.
Ah, ooh, sliding.
(metal clanks) Hold on, are you ready?
I am ready! Product, hold on,
I don't want this to cover it.
Oh, I'm gonna give you a closeup.
There you go.
Look at how gorgeous that is.
I mean, this to me, I can stand over it
and eat the whole thing.
All right, so now I'm gonna do one little extra
'cause I'm a little extra.
I have some yogurt in a bowl,
and to it, I'm gonna make the simplest sauce.
Some chopped mint, really echoing those flavors,
chopped mint, some lemon juice and lemon zest,
and another little spoonful of the Za'atar,
some salt and pepper.
And I'm gonna give it a mix.
And this makes the most delicious, savory yogurt.
Oh, God! And my favorite thing,
I could eat this as a dip, you know what I mean?
This could be on its own, for crudities,
for veggies, as a sandwich spread.
But when I put it with the yogurt,
when I put it with the eggs,
I'm gonna show you how gorgeous this is
if I plate it all up.
Also just with like torn charred pita,
or Na'an bread or something.
Right? Yes!
Oh, that's so beautiful, Gail,
so beautiful. A little of my sauce.
And I'm serving it just like that,
swirling it all together.
(Rachael groans) And I have just a little bit
of deliciousness and it all just works.
It looks so savory and it is the perfect meal.
It is so beautiful.
There you go. It is absolutely perfect.
You are perfect.
You're always are. Oh, please.
Thank you. Bring it home, guys.
You can bring it home anytime.
Gail's book is one of my all time favorites.
Thank you so much, Gail, for making time for us.
(upbeat music) (wind chimes clink)