Eggs in Purgatory is a delicious and hearty one pan meal of soft poached eggs, bathed in a fiery and aromatic tomato sauce. It makes for a perfect, lazy weekend brunch that will wake you right up, (or cure a mild hangover.)
Here’s what you need:
This dish brings the heat.
I add crushed red pepper, black pepper and pickled cherry peppers to flavor this spicy sauce. Of course if you don’t love spicy food like I do, you can make adjustments to suit your own tastes. Just dial back on the red pepper flakes or omit them entirely. You could even use a different, milder pickled pepper like sweet banana peppers or pepperoncinis.
How to make Eggs in Purgatory:
To start making the sauce, grab a large skillet and sauté the diced onions over medium heat with a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent.
Next add the garlic, thyme and chopped cherry peppers. Sauté for a minute or two more before adding the tomato paste.
Stir in the tomato paste.
Add the liquids.
First pour in the broth to deglaze. Use a wooden spoon to help lift any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Then pour in your in the crushed tomatoes. Add your salt, both black and red peppers and fresh lemon juice. Taste the sauce to make sure it is seasoned properly. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
Poach the eggs in the spicy tomato sauce.
Once ready, gently crack the eggs, one at a time, directly into the sauce. I think 6 eggs is the perfect amount for this recipe, but it would work for a couple more or less. Once all the eggs are in, use your wooden spoon to nudge the whites towards their yolks. Then, sprinkle each egg with a little bit of salt and place the lid back on to cook them through.
The amount of time it takes to cook the eggs is going to vary, depending on how well done you like them. I give them a full 3 minutes with the lid on, then check them to gage how much more time they will need. Replace the lid keep checking on them every couple minutes after. The eggs typically set somewhere between 6 and 8 minutes.
Top the finished dish with a good handful of fresh-chopped parsley. Serve it up with thick slices of crusty bread and loads of fresh parmesan cheese. Crumbled feta works beautifully as well. If you need to cool down the fiery sauce, add a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream.
More recipes to try:
- Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan and Bacon Crumble
- Croque Monsieur Brunch Rolls
- Easy, Delicious Homemade Tomato Soup
Eggs In Purgatory
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion small diced
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme chopped
- 2 tbsp pickled cherry peppers chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup broth chicken or vegetable
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
- 6 eggs
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- parmesan
Instructions
- Heat a large, lidded pan to medium and heat olive oil. Sauté the yellow onion with a pinch of salt for about 4 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the thyme, cherry peppers and garlic and sauté for about a minute more then add the tomato paste. Sauté for a couple minutes to caramelize the paste. Now add your liquids. First, the broth to deglaze, using a wooden spoon to lift any stuck bits off the bottom of the pan. Next add the tomatoes, red and black pepper, salt and lemon juice. Stir until well combined. Bring to a gentle simmer and cover for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the lid then crack each egg, one at a time, into the sauce. Use your wooden spoon to gently coax the whites towards the yolks. Sprinkle each egg with a little salt. Cover the pan and simmer for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the whites are set and the yolks are still a bit runny. Top with the chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread and fresh, grated parmesan.