Name: Uova in Purgatorio (Southern‑Italian Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Southern Italian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion; 2 clove garlic; 1 tsp red pepper flakes; 800 g crushed tomatoes; 0.5 tsp granulated sugar; 1 tsp fine sea salt; 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 4 large eggs; 4 slice crusty country bread; 6 leaf fresh basil; 6 piece pitted black olives; extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Heat a 10-inch (25 cm) heavy skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt; sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.
Cook slowly so the onion becomes sweet rather than brown.
Push the onion to the side, add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30–45 seconds.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, stir in the sugar and 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a gentle simmer.
Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens slightly and flavors concentrate.
Stir occasionally to prevent sticking; simmer longer for a thicker sauce.
Season the sauce with black pepper and more salt if needed; use the back of a spoon to make four shallow wells in the sauce.
Crack one egg into each well, keeping the yolks intact.
Crack eggs into a small bowl first if you're nervous about shells or breaking yolks.
Cover the skillet and poach the eggs in the simmering sauce until whites are set and yolks reach your desired doneness.
7 minutes yields mostly set whites and jammy yolks; reduce to 5–6 minutes for runnier yolks, or up to 9 minutes for firm yolks.
While the eggs poach, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in another skillet or the oven broiler and toast the bread slices until golden and crisp.
Toast in a dry skillet over medium-high heat about 1–1½ minutes per side, or under a broiler watch closely.
Remove skillet from heat, scatter torn basil and halved olives over the sauce, drizzle a little olive oil if you like, and season with a final pinch of salt.
Serve the eggs and sauce straight from the skillet with toasted bread for dipping.

Worth knowing

Use canned crushed tomatoes for convenience and consistent acidity; if using fresh, peel and chop very ripe tomatoes and simmer a little longer.
If you prefer a smokier note, add 1–2 tbsp chopped roasted red pepper or a few anchovy fillets when sautéing the onion (anchovies add a fish allergen).
To make this gluten-free, serve with toasted gluten-free bread or polenta slices.
Leftover sauce keeps 3–4 days refrigerated and makes a quick base for more eggs, pasta, or grilled fish.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

Ingredients

Method

Worth knowing

Make it yours

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