Friday Feasting: Eggs in Purgatory

Eggs in Purgatory

"On our farm we raise chickens. And although we sell lots of eggs, we can have a huge excess at times.  What we don't take to our local church's food bank, we need to use up! This drives me to find recipes that require lots and lots of eggs. Here's a new one we just tried out and enjoyed. An American-Italian dish, great for a meatless dinner; eggs in a spicy red sauce."

Ingredients

8 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste (ketchup works in a pinch)
3/4-1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust heat to your likes)
Salt and pepper
1 tsp oregano, dried
1 C fresh basil leaves plus
2 tbsp chopped  (or use 1 tbsp dried,  in a pinch)
1 (28-oz) can diced or crushed tomatoes
8 large eggs
1/4 C grate Parmesan cheese
2 loaves Italian bread, slices and toasted

Directions

Slice bread, drizzle with oil on both sides; broil for about 3 minutes per side. Set aside and heat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 3 tbsp oil in oven safe 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add onion, tomato paste, pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes, until rust colored. Add fresh basil if using, cook until wilted, 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes, bringing to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and let sit for 2 minutes to cool. Cracking one egg at a time into a bowl, using spatula, clear a 2 inch space well in sauce, exposing the bottom of skillet. Immediately pour in eggs. Repeat until all eggs are added, evenly spaced.

Season each egg with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, covered, until egg whites are just beginning to set, but are still translucent, about 3 minutes. Uncover skillet and transfer to oven. Bake until egg whites are set and no watery patches remain, about 4-5 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 a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with toasted bread.