Eggs In Purgatory Recipe
Eggs baked in spicy pomodoro sauce, Parmigiano Reggiano, grilled toast
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Tomato Sauce
Eggs & Finish
Grilled Toast
Method
Tomato Sauce
- 1
Prepare aromatics and sweat onion
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil until shimmering. Add the finely diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.
- 2
Add garlic and spices
Add the minced garlic, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon paprika. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30–45 seconds, taking care not to brown the garlic.
- 3
Build the tomato base
Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize slightly. Pour in the crushed San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz), scraping up any fond from the pan. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar if using. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- 4
Simmer and finish
Let the sauce simmer, partially covered, until it thickens slightly and flavors concentrate, about 12–15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves. Keep sauce warm in the skillet while you prepare the eggs and toast.
Eggs & Finish
- 5
Create wells for eggs
With the back of a spoon, make six shallow wells evenly spaced in the warm tomato sauce so each egg will have its own cavity. The wells should be deep enough to cradle the yolk but leave the white space to spread slightly.
- 6
Crack and bake eggs
Crack 6 large eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl and then gently slip one egg into each well in the sauce to avoid breaking yolks. Season each egg lightly with a pinch of salt and a small grind of black pepper. Scatter small pats of butter (about 2 tablespoons total, divided) around the sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano evenly over the sauce and eggs.
- 7
Bake until set
Transfer the skillet to the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven. Bake until egg whites are set but yolks remain slightly runny, 10–12 minutes (longer if you prefer firmer yolks). For a glossy top and melted cheese, switch to broil for 1–2 minutes at the end—watch closely to avoid burning the cheese.
- 8
Rest and garnish
Remove the skillet from the oven and let rest 2 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano over the top if desired, add chopped parsley (2 tablespoons), and finish with the remaining pinch (1/4 teaspoon) of freshly cracked black pepper. Add torn basil leaves for color if you like.
Grilled Toast
- 9
- 10
Grill or toast bread
Heat a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Grill the bread slices until golden and charred in spots, about 1–2 minutes per side. Alternatively, toast under a broiler for 1–2 minutes per side or use a toaster and then rub with a cut garlic clove for extra aroma. Keep warm.
- 11