Uova al Purgatorio
L'Arte della Conserva: The Late August Tomato Ritual
In Naples, the winding alleys glow with shrines dedicated to the penniless souls in purgatory, depicted as white figures engulfed in red flames. Leave it to the Neapolitans to look at profound religious iconography and see a fast, cheap, incredibly delicious weeknight dinner. This is the ultimate expression of peasant cooking: bright egg whites poaching in a bubbling, deeply reduced tomato sauce. You don't need expensive imports to capture the uncompromised flavor of Campania, just good tomatoes, a heavy hand with the olive oil, and an aggressive amount of crusty bread to wipe the plate clean.
Before you start
Respect the yolk by using room temperature eggs.
Cold eggs straight from the fridge will drop the temperature of the simmering sauce and cook unevenly, often leading to overcooked yolks and runny whites.
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- clove garlic1 large
- red pepper flakes1 pinch
- whole peeled tomatoes28 oz
- sea salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- eggs4 large
- fresh basil4 sprigs
- Parmigiano Reggiano2 tbsp
- crusty rustic bread loaf1 large
Method
- 01
Infuse the olive oil.
Place a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat with the olive oil and the smashed garlic clove. Let the garlic sizzle gently until it turns a light golden brown, about 3 minutes, then discard the garlic and stir in the red pepper flakes for 30 seconds to bloom.
- 02
Simmer the flames.
Carefully pour in the crushed tomatoes, season generously with salt and black pepper, and stir well. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and let the sauce bubble away uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing it to reduce and thicken enough to support the weight of the eggs.
- 03
Create the purgatory.
Use the back of a wooden spoon to make four distinct wells in the thickened sauce. Working quickly, crack one egg directly into each hollow.
- 04
Poach the souls.
Season the top of each egg with a tiny pinch of salt, place a tight-fitting lid on the skillet, and let the eggs poach in the steam for 4 to 6 minutes. The egg whites should be completely opaque and set, but the yolks must still jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
- 05
Finish and serve.
Remove the skillet from the heat immediately so the eggs do not overcook. Scatter the torn fresh basil leaves and grated Parmigiano over the top, and bring the whole skillet directly to the table to serve with the toasted bread.
Notes
The ultimate grandmother secret is using leftover Sunday ragù.
If you have leftover meat sauce from the weekend, skip the oil, garlic, and canned tomatoes. Simply heat the ragù in a skillet until bubbling, adding a splash of water if it is too thick, and crack your eggs directly into the meat sauce for a variation Neapolitans call Eggs in Heaven.
The scarpetta is mandatory.
Do not attempt to serve this without bread. The liquid yolk mixes with the acidic tomato base to create an incredibly rich secondary sauce that must be mopped up.
From Cook Italian in America.