Eggs in Purgatory
Servings: 2 people
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small (1 small) onion chopped
- 1 clove (1 clove) garlic grated
- 1 large 28-ounce can (800 grams) San Marzano tomatoes or whole canned peeled tomatoes
- 4 (4 eggs) eggs
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) salt or more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) black pepper or red pepper flakes
- 6 leaves (6 leaves) basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 ounces (90 grams) scamorza cheese optional - substitute provolone, grated parmesan, or crumbled feta.
- Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a skillet and sauté 1 small onion (chopped) for 3 minutes. Add 1 clove garlic (grated) and sauté one more minute.Pour in 1 large 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes and crush them with a fork.Season with ¾ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, and optionally a pinch of red pepper flakes.Simmer on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- With a spoon, make four craters in the tomato sauce and fill them with 4 eggs, taking care not to damage the yolk.Optionally, you can also add 3 ounces scamorza cheese (diced) scattered on top of the sauce.Tip: Season the egg whites with a pinch of salt.
- Cover with a lid and cook on medium low heat for about 5 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking (yolks should be runny).Serve with 6 leaves basil on top, a drizzle of good oil, and toasted crusty bread.
SUBSTITUTIONS
San Marzano: Substitute whole canned peeled tomatoes, crushed or diced tomatoes, tomato puree or passata, or halved cherry tomatoes. If you use fresh tomatoes they might need longer cooking time.
Basil: Substitute fresh Italian parlsey.
Scamorza cheese: scamorza cheese could be hard to find if you live outside of Italy.
You can substitute a sprinkling of parmesan cheese or another cheese that melts such as provolone, fontina, feta, or even diced mozzarella.
STORAGE
This dish is best right after it's made. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Reheat in the microwave.
CAN I USE A CAST IRON SKILLET?
You can cook eggs in purgatory in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet as this recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes, and the tomato's acidity doesn't have time to damage the skillet.
However, remove the dish from the skillet and store it in a glass container once cooked.
Alternatively, you can use a non-stick skillet or a stainless steel skillet.
Alternatively, you can use a non-stick skillet or a stainless steel skillet.
