Ova in Purgatorio
Ova in Purgatorio·(OH-vah een poor-gah-TOR-ee-oh)
La Dispensa: The Sicilian-American Pantry Essentials
A 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet sit on the counter, ready to salvage a barren fridge and a blown budget on Wednesday at 7 p.m. As the tomatoes sputter, the stark white 'souls' of the eggs poach gently, their whites billowing and setting as they sink into the simmering sauce, demanding nothing but a heavy hand with the cheese. Leave the yolks runny, and tear a heel from a loaf of crusty semolina to wipe the pan clean.
Before you start
Toast the bread before you begin.
The eggs will wait for no one once they hit the pan. Have your bread sliced and ready for the table so you can eat the second the yolks are done.
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- garlic clove1 large
- red pepper flakes1/4 tsp
- crushed tomatoes28 oz
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- dried oregano1/4 tsp
- eggs4 large
- Pecorino Romano cheese1/4 cup
- fresh basil leaves1/4 cup
- crusty artisan bread loaf1 large
Method
- 01
Build the aromatic base.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat, adding the smashed garlic clove and red pepper flakes to sizzle until the garlic turns lightly golden and perfumes the oil.
- 02
Remove the garlic and thicken the sauce.
Discard the garlic, carefully pour in the crushed tomatoes, and stir in the salt and oregano. Simmer vigorously on medium-low for 10 to 15 minutes.
- 03
Form the purgatorial wells.
Once the sauce has concentrated and thickened enough to support the weight of an egg without it sinking, use the back of a spoon to carve out four distinct indentations.
- 04
Introduce the souls using a teacup.
Crack one egg at a time into a small glass or ramekin, then gently slide it into a waiting well to ensure the yolk stays perfectly intact.
- 05
Cover the skillet and steam the eggs.
Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and poach for 3 to 5 minutes until the whites turn completely opaque but the yolks remain soft and fluid.
- 06
Garnish and serve immediately.
Pull the skillet from the heat, dust heavily with Pecorino Romano and scattered basil, and bring the pan directly to the table alongside the toasted bread.
Notes
The teacup trick is mandatory grandmother wisdom.
Cracking eggs directly into bubbling sauce risks breaking the delicate yolks or dropping shell fragments into the pan. Use a small cup as a staging area.
Sauce consistency dictates your success.
If your tomato sauce is too watery, the eggs will boil rather than poach. Give the tomatoes the full 15 minutes to reduce and tighten up before adding the eggs.