Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 green pepper, thinly sliced 

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes 

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/4 cups crumbled feta cheese

5 large eggs

1/3 cup chopped spinach

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and garlic. Cook until soft.

3. Stir in spices.

4. Pour in canned tomatoes. Let simmer until the tomato mixture thickens.

5. Stir in feta cheese.

6. Crack eggs into the skillet and add salt and pepper.

7. Place the skillet in oven and bake for 15 minutes.

8. Sprinkle with spinach, let cool and serve. 

While Israel has a captivating culture and breathtaking scenery, its scrumptious cuisine is easily its best attribute. One of my favorite Israeli dishes is shakshuka because it is easy to make and fun to say. Though lesser-known than other Middle Eastern foods, such as falafel with hummus and couscous, shakshuka is not far behind as a national favorite. Shakshuka is comparable to the Mexican breakfast dish huevos rancheros or the Turkish menemen. It is savory, loaded with flavor and is traditionally served at breakfast.

Shakshuka is most often served straight out of the oven in a skillet. Variations of this dish also appear as staples of Libyan, Algerian, Moroccan and Egyptian cuisines, though its Israeli roots can likely be traced back to Tunisian Jews. 

To start, preheat the oven to 375 F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and peppers and cook for about 15 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir occasionally. Add garlic and stir in spices for two minutes. Then, pour in the canned tomatoes and let it sit until the tomatoes have thickened (for about 10 minutes.) Next, stir in the feta cheese, allowing it to melt. 

Crack the eggs into the skillet, evenly spaced so the yolks have room to mix with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Place the skillet into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until the eggs are set. Sprinkle with spinach, let cool, serve and enjoy.