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Eggs in Purgatory

Source of Recipe

From "The New Cooking School Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"This popular Italian American dish of quivering eggs poached directly in a spicy red sauce is equally as good for a meatless supper as it is for breakfast. We let the sauce thicken slightly on the stovetop and then take the skillet off the heat. Before adding each egg to the skillet, use a rubber spatula to clear a 2-inch-long well in the sauce (exposing the skillet bottom) to hold the egg. To evenly fit all eight eggs in the skillet, place seven eggs around the perimeter of the pan and one in the middle. Covering the skillet and cooking the eggs over medium heat helps start setting the whites; then, a flash of enveloping heat from the oven finishes the whites while leaving the yolks silky. This dish should be a little spicy, but if you're averse to heat, we've provided a range for the red pepper flakes."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 8 (¾-inch-thick) slices rustic Italian bread
â—¦ 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling
â—¦ 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
â—¦ ¼ cup grated onion
â—¦ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
â—¦ ¾ to 1 ¼ teaspoons red pepper flakes
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
â—¦ 1 cup fresh basil leaves plus 2 tablespoons chopped
â—¦ 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
â—¦ 8 large eggs
â—¦ ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese


Recipe

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 additional 2 tablespoons oil. Broil until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside and heat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in 12-inch ovensafe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add onion, tomato paste, pepper flakes, 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 longer, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat and let sit 2 minutes to cool slightly.

Crack one egg into bowl. Use heat-resistant 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 seven eggs in total around perimeter of skillet and one in center.

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.

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

Serves 4