Eggs in Purgatory

By lorik

Our preferred brands of canned crushed tomatoes are Tuttorosso and Muir Glen. Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater. This dish should be a little spicy, but if you’re averse to heat, we’ve provided a range for the red pepper flakes. When adding the eggs to the sauce, take care to space them evenly so the whites don’t run together

Ingredients

• Variation from Food Network with Sausage:
• 8 (3/4-inch-thick) slices rustic Italian bread
• 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup grated onion
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3/4 —1 1/4 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves plus 2 tablespoons chopped
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 5 ounces ciabatta bread, cubed (about 5 cups)
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 4 ounces provolone cheese, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
• 4 large eggs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from cookscountry.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat broiler. Arrange bread slices on baking sheet and drizzle first sides with 2 tablespoons oil; flip slices and drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Broil until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside and heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in ovensafe 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add onion, tomato paste, pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until rust-colored, about 4 minutes. Add basil leaves and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and bring to gentle simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove skillet from heat and let sit 2 minutes to cool slightly. Crack 1 egg into bowl. Use rubber spatula to clear 2-inch-diameter well in sauce, exposing skillet bottom. Using spatula to hold well open, immediately pour in egg. Repeat with remaining eggs, evenly spacing 7 eggs in total around perimeter of skillet and 1 in center.

4. Season each egg with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, covered, until egg whites are just beginning to set but are still translucent with some watery patches, about 3 minutes. Uncover skillet and transfer to oven. Bake until egg whites are set and no watery patches remain, 4 to 5 minutes for slightly runny yolks or about 6 minutes for soft-cooked yolks, rotating skillet halfway through baking.

5. Sprinkle with Parmesan and chopped basil and drizzle with extra oil. Serve with toasted bread.

Variation:

Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and almost cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir the bread into the sausage mixture and cook until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and 2 cups water; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium (or move the skillet to a cooler part of the campfire). Stir in the provolone, 2 tablespoons parmesan and 1/4 cup basil.

Use the back of a spoon to make 4 shallow wells in the tomato mixture; carefully crack 1 egg into each well. Cover the skillet and cook until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 4 to 9 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan and 1/4 cup basil. Season with salt and pepper.