Eggs in Purgatory
Uova in Purgatorio·(oo-oh-vah een poor-gah-toh-ree-oh)
BREAKFAST
7:15 on a Tuesday. It’s Day 11 of the reset, the existential dread of another scrambled egg has set in, and you have exactly ten minutes to lean on crushed garlic and olive oil for the savory depth that gets you through the hard part of the month. This is a Neapolitan peasant dish originally used to stretch leftover Sunday ragù into a second meal; watch the bright egg whites feather and poach as the sauce bubbles in a cast-iron skillet, cover the pan so they set in the acidic sauce, and go pour your coffee.
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- garlic cloves3 large
- crushed red pepper flakes1/2 tsp
- Whole30-compliant crushed tomatoes15 oz
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- eggs4 large
- fresh basil leaves1 large handful
- flaky sea salt1 pinch
- black pepper1 pinch
Method
- 01
Build the flavor base.
Place a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat, add the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and let them sizzle for about 2 minutes until the garlic is a pale, toasted gold.
- 02
Stoke the flames.
Stand back and pour in the crushed tomatoes, stir in the kosher salt, and bring the sauce to a vigorous simmer for 5 minutes to concentrate the flavor.
- 03
Trap the souls.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, use the back of a spoon to press 4 deep wells into the sauce, and crack an egg directly into each.
- 04
Steam and walk away.
Cover the skillet tightly to trap the steam, cooking the whites from the top down for 4 to 6 minutes until the whites are opaque but the yolks still jiggle.
- 05
Garnish and serve.
Remove from the heat, scatter the torn basil across the skillet, dust with black pepper and flaky sea salt, and serve immediately.
Notes
Label Check (The Survival Skill).
Commercial brands love to sneak cane sugar into canned tomatoes to balance the acidity. Check the label—it should only list tomatoes, salt, and naturally occurring citric acid.
Why this swap? (The Bread Issue).
Tradition dictates wiping this skillet clean with massive slabs of rustic bread. Since grain-free recreations are out, ladle this over leftover roasted potato wedges or eat it straight from a bowl like a hearty stew.
Why this swap? (The Cheese Issue).
Diaspora recipes often finish this with parmesan. We rely entirely on the generous pool of extra-virgin olive oil, toasted garlic, and fresh basil to replace the lost fat and umami. Don't skimp on the oil.
From Whole30 10 Minute Meals.