"Ljubljanska šakšuka" or upgraded sataraš
A stroll through summer Ljubljana reveals a different, almost Mediterranean face of our city.
© Suzan Gabrijan
At the stalls, red tomatoes and purple eggplants accompany sturdy zucchinis and intensely fragrant peppers. The culinary star of summer in Ljubljana is the indigenous oxheart tomato, which is in full season, but the abundance of summer vegetables invites us to further enhance the classics. There's no point in arguing about the origin or name of this dish, as it's one of those typical dishes determined by seasonal ingredients, but it was invented - by opportunity. With local tomatoes, summer onions from Bela Krajina and Ptuj, and zucchinis that were still growing in the field in the morning, the dish is unique. And surely it carries some nostalgic essence within itself...
INGREDIENTS
- 2 small onions
- Pinch of ground coriander
- Pinch of ground chili
- Knife tip of crushed cumin
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1/2 eggplant
- 1 small yellow pepper
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 large oxheart tomato
- 2 eggs
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- 4 sprigs of parsley or coriander
- 4 tablespoons of thick yogurt
- Bread or savory pastry, for serving
PREPARATION METHOD
Finely chop the onions into slices. Remove the seeds from the peppers and dice the flesh. Dice the eggplant and tomato as well. Slice the zucchini into firm rounds.
In a shallow, wide pan or skillet, pour a thin layer of oil. Add the chopped onion, season with salt and pepper, and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally until translucent. Season with chili, coriander, and cumin. Add the peppers and eggplant, season lightly with salt, and continue to sauté until the vegetables are softened. Add a little more oil if needed. Now add the zucchini and let it cook until slightly browned. Finally, add the tomato, season with salt, cover, and simmer over low heat. The tomato will add sauce to the dish.
Once the dish thickens and becomes uniform (after about 10 minutes), make 2 indentations in the pan, crack an egg into each one. After three minutes, cover to let the eggs set. Sprinkle fresh coriander or parsley on top and drizzle with yogurt. Serve with bread or savory pastry.