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1
At least 8 hours or up to 2 days before you plan to bake, make step 1 of the focaccia recipe-up until the dough rises in the fridge.
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2
Make the shakshuka. This can be done up to two days before you bake.
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3
Heat the canola oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the bell peppers and jalapeno and cook just until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and saute for another 2 minutes.
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4
Slowly pour in the tomatoes. Stir in the bay leaf, sugar, salt, paprika, cumin, pepper, and caraway and let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes. This mixture can also be made 2 days in advance.
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5
When you're ready to bake (or the night before brunch), oil an 18 x 13-inch baking sheet. Remove the focaccia dough from the refrigerator and transfer to the prepared pan. Using your hands, spread the dough out on the prepared pan as much as possible, adding oil to the dough as needed to keep it from sticking. Place the dough in a warm place and let it rise until it about doubles in bulk The rising time will vary considerably depending on the season. (In the summer, it might take just 20 minutes; in winter, it can take an hour or more.) When the dough is ready, it should be room temperature, spread out on the sheet, and fluffy feeling.
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6
Preheat the oven to 450u00b0 F. Use your knuckles to make a well in one corner of the dough. You'll be making eight wells total, so make sure to allow enough space for them all. Add a heaping 1/3 cup shakshuka sauce into the well you've just massaged. Continue until you have 8 sauce-filled wells. Sprinkle with salt.
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7
Bake the bread for 15 minutes, until the bread is just starting to brown. Crack an egg in a bowl with a spout and gingerly pour the egg into the shakshuka. Repeat with the remaining 7 eggs. Sprinkle the eggs with salt and freshly ground pepper and put the pan back into the oven until the eggs are set, about 5 minutes.
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8
Allow the bread to cool until you can touch it, then cut into 8 squares.
