From “Recipes from the Molcho Family” from the food blog “FOOD 52”
In Haya Molcho’s family, shakshuka is always served at Sunday brunch. A large pan of it is placed in the middle of the table and everyone dips crisp bread into the sauce.
PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOK TIME 35 minutes
SERVES 4 to 6
4 oz leeks
1 oz butter
9 oz spinach
1 oz flat-leaf parsley
3/4 fl oz cream
Sea salt
1 small fennel bulb
2 scallions (spring onions)
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 oz Kashhaval, or another kind of mild, full-fat cheese
1 oz Parmesan, plus extra to garnish
6 eggs
Sourdough bread, to serve
Halve the leek lengthways, trim and cut into strips 1/2 inch wide.Wash any soil from it and drain of excess water.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the leek and cook over medium heat until soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Wash the spinach and remove the thick stems. Set aside about 1 3/4 oz of the leaves. Blanch the remaining spinach along with the parsley (with stems) for 10 seconds in boiling, salted water. Strain and immediately submerge in ice water. Firmly press to remove all liquid.
Purée the leek, spinach-parsley mixture, cream and 2 1/2 fl oz of water with a stick blender or in a blender until creamy. Season to taste with salt.
Halve the fennel, remove the stalk and cut the bulb into thin slices.
Trim the spring onions and cut in half width-ways.
Warm the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, add the scallions and fennel and sauté very lightly for 3 minutes.
Season with salt, transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining spinach and 1-2 tablespoons of water to the same pan.
Sprinkle with salt and distribute first the spinach-parsley mixture and then the fennel and spring onions evenly over the spinach.
Coarsely grate the Kashkaval cheese and 3/4 oz Parmesan and scatter over the vegetables.
Using a spoon, make 6 small wells and break 1 egg into each. Salt well, especially the egg yolk, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. The egg whites should be firm but the yolks still runny (like a poached egg).
Grate extra parmesan over the eggs.
Drizzle with olive oil and serve with fresh sourdough bread.