Since I was little, I have thrilled at reading food-related passage in novels. But the food scenes in Some Day by Israeli novelish Shemi Zarhin are on another level. In one passage, Zarhin describes a dish so vividly, I felt compelled to re-create it in my own kitchen He writes: "Ruchama...fried onions and sprinkled garlic cloves...seasoned it with spicy green pepper and coriander seeds and squeezed a lemon and placed a pile of beet leaves...in the middle, and within seconds, the green pile sunk into the pot and became an aromatic green sauce, into which Ruchama chopped cubes of sheep's milk cheese and broke three eggs and dripped olive oil." As I read and my mouth watered, I realized that Ruchama is essentially making a tomato-free version of the North African poached egg dish, shakshuka. Riffing off the "recipe," I experimented with a spinach shakshuka and, like Ruchama, ended up mopping it up with pita "with great pleasure."
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 2–3
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pan set over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, cinnamon, and salt, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 2
Add the spinach and lemon juice to the pan, turn the heat to low, cover, and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until the spinach is very soft, 7 to 10 minutes. (If the spinach does not fit all at once in the pan, add a little at a time, adding more as the spinach in the pan wilts.) Uncover and evenly spread the mixture across the bottom of the pan. Use the back of the spoon to make four to six shallow indentations in the surface of the greens mixture to hold the eggs while they cook.
Step 3
Break the eggs into small cups and gently slide them into the indentations. Raise the heat to medium, cover the pan , and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still a bit runny, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top and sprinkle with pepper, feta, and cilantro. Serve hot, directly from the pan.
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Reviews (14)
Back to TopAlmost 5 stars. I'd ease back or eliminate the cinnamon, and reduce the salt. Maybe go a little bit heavier on the oinion? In recent years I've decided that shakshuka, in all its forms, is on my short list of world's most perfect meals. Delicious, fast, easy, inexpensive, healthful, almost infinitely mutable ... what's not to love? I've done numerous tomato versions, a handful of spinach versions, a caramelized onion version, and others. All yummy.
Elizabeth McFadden
Silver Springg, MD
4/4/2023
Very nice flavor, but a bit salty, I'd reduce the salt next time. Probably the tastiest way I've had spinach, for sure.
sterlingartist
6/1/2021
Wow! I read the story so I used the goats cheese I had instead of feta. Otherwise no substitutions. Used 6 eggs. Great flavor, easy to make. Served it over jasmine rice. I've shared this with quite a few people I adored it so much. Can't wait to make it again. Highly recommend this gem!
Kookaburra_
Charlotte nc
5/7/2021
This is delish! With modifications though as per other reviews. We halved the cinnamon, puréed half the spinach mixture before adding the eggs and only added a pinch of salt. Cooked for four minutes over medium heat but was still overdone. Would do 3 minutes next time. Flavour is excellent and served with some lightly olive oiled and baked baguette.
ritajoyholmberg6443
Vancouver, BC, Canada
12/31/2020
Very, very good!! The eggs came out overcooked for my taste, but I will simply cook them for a shorter amount of time, next time.
heliconia
Tracy, CA
10/3/2020
Made this for my family and my ten year old called it “perfection”! I substituted goat cheese for the feta and red pepper flakes for the jalapeño since that’s what I had in the house. The creaminess of the goat cheese balanced the salty/spicy of the spinach mixture. Will definitely make again!
shefter
Silver Spring, MD
10/12/2019
A very easy to prepare dish. As did other reviewers, I cut back on the salt about 1/2. I usually prepare my spinach on the side and blend smooth. This was a nice new way to serve an egg and spinach combo. Enjoy!
karapossum
Savannah, GA
7/25/2017
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