Fresh Tomato Sauce Gives Eggs a Spicy, Summery Home

Similar to shakshuka, this quick and easy Italian version incorporates fresh summer tomatoes and basil.

Fresh summer tomatoes can be used in Summer Eggs in Purgatory dish. Dreamstime/TNS

By Meredith Deeds From The Minnesota Star Tribune

When I’m looking for a brothy, eggy dish, I typically have turned to shakshuka.

The North African dish has become beloved all over the globe—and certainly in my kitchen—consisting of stewed tomatoes infused with spices and peppers. Eggs are nestled in the tomatoes and gently cooked until the whites are set, but the yolks are still runny.

Recently, while researching an Italian dish called “fish in crazy water,” in which a white, flaky fish is poached in a spicy broth, I stumbled onto another similar dish: Eggs in Purgatory.

First, can we acknowledge the Italians’ gift for naming a plate of food? Had I created this genius dish, I would have likely named it something boring like “eggs poached in spicy tomato broth.” Yawn.

While my title for the dish would have made it clear what to expect, the Italians tell the tale. Being slowly cooked in a bubbly, red tomato sauce which just happens to be seasoned with fiery red pepper flakes doesn’t sound like it turns out too well for the eggs.

It does, however, turn out extremely well for anyone lucky enough to be eating those eggs, especially when armed with a crusty piece of bread.

If any dish deserves to be swiped with a piece of toast or a hunk of focaccia, it’s this one. The action of bread dipping not only allows you to sop up every drop of the addictive sauce—it also encourages the mingling of the sauce and egg yolk, which adds a silky richness.

Because it’s summer, and fresh tomatoes are at their best, I substituted the usually canned tomatoes with fresh cherry tomatoes and garnish with a generous shower of fresh basil.

And that’s it. This quick, easy dish is so satisfying that it doesn’t need a salad or anything else on the side, although a glass of Italian wine is always a good idea.

Summer Eggs in Purgatory

Serves 3 to 4.

Serve this simple dish with toasted rustic bread, ciabatta or focaccia on the side to soak up every drop of the garlicky, spicy tomato broth.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 20 ounces cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until garlic just begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, 1/4 cup water and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes start to burst, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Cover pan and cook, stirring tomatoes occasionally and lightly smashing them with a wooden spoon, until mixture is saucy, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Carefully crack eggs into a large measuring glass, then slip one at a time into the tomato mixture, spacing them evenly. Season eggs with salt and pepper, cover pan, and cook until whites are set but yolks are still runny, 4 to 6 minutes. Drizzle a little olive oil over the eggs and garnish with chopped basil. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese on the side.

Meredith Deeds is a cookbook author and food writer from Edina. Reach her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram ­at @meredithdeeds. Copyright 2024 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Dear Readers: We would love to hear from you. What topics would you like to read about? Please send your feedback and tips to [email protected].