Uova in Purgatorio - Eggs In Tomato Sauce

These delicious poached eggs in a simple tomato sauce and accompanied by some toasted bread and nothing else are a great example of la cucina povera. It’s an easy dish to prepare but rich and comforting at the same time and it brings me straight back to my childhood. It’s honestly the perfect dish for a lazy day in the kitchen.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 small fresh chillies
• 1 brown onion
• 400g canned plum tomatoes
• 4 large fresh eggs
• A few basil leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fine sea salt and black Pepper
• Grana Padano cheese, to serve

For the garlic bread

• 6 slices of sourdough bread
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. In a large shallow frying pan and on a medium heat, drizzle a generous amount of olive oil and add the peeled garlic and the 2 small chillies. Let it infuse gently for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Then add the thinly chopped onion and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often.
3. Meanwhile, transfer the tinned plum tomatoes to a bowl and crush the with your hands before adding them to the pan. Rinse the tomato tin with a little water so that you don’t waste any tomatoes and add this to the sauce. Tear and add half of the basil leaves too. Stir well, cover and cook for 8 to 10 mins on a medium heat. Stir occasionally.
4. Turn the heat down to a medium low. Fish out the chillies and the garlic. Discard the chillies but if you are a garlic lover, place the garlic cloves on your chopping board, crush them with the knife until you get a nice garlic purée and place them back inside the sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary. If needed, crush the tinned plum tomatoes inside the sauce once more to make sure there are no big lumps of tomatoes.
5. Now that the tomato sauce has reduced and is a little thicker, use the back of the ladle to create a little well. Drop one egg into the well and do the same for the rest of the eggs, making sure there is enough space between them. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until the white of the egg is fully cooked and the yolk is still runny.
6. Meanwhile, toast the bread. Take the skin off the garlic and brush it over the bread while it’s still hot and then drizzle each slice with a good glug of olive oil.
7. Once the eggs are cooked, take the lid off and grate the cheese all over. Tear and garnish with the rest of the basil leaves and serve right away along with the toasted garlic bread.

Watch the recipe video

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