Fresh tomato eggs in purgatory is an easy dish in which eggs are cooked in a sauce of fresh tomatoes, chili flakes, and garlic. It is fresh and easy to make any time of year with a few substitutions.

The tomato recipes keep on coming!

Eggs in purgatory is the Italian version of the traditionally Tunisian/Moroccan dish Shakshuka.

Eggs in purgatory is from Naples and started as an easy and cheap way to introduce protein into a diet.

Fresh tomato eggs in purgatory starts with fresh, garden, summer tomatoes.

How to prepare the tomatoes?

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Cut a shallow X into the bottom of each tomato.

Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water until the skin starts to separate from the flesh of the tomato.

Plunge the tomatoes into an ice bath until cool enough to handle.

Peel the skin away and give the tomatoes a rough chop, removing the stem/core at the top.

This method is also how you would preserve fresh, garden crushed tomatoes.

I did a separate batch of tomatoes and froze them after I crushed them.

This batch of peeled tomatoes was headed to a big pan of onions cooked down in olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes.

I kept the garlic and red pepper on the milder end.

Feel free to add more garlic or red pepper if you want a bigger punch of heat.

Mash up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.

Reduce the heat and drop in those eggs!

Cover the pan with a lid.

After about 10-15 minutes of bubbling away, the eggs should be mostly cooked through.

The bottom of the eggs will have a more hard-boiled texture and the top will be a little jammy and a teensy bit runny.

You won’t get the yolk you would in a sunny-side-up egg out of this dish.

Serve with lots of toasted, crusty bread and top with fresh herbs or grated Parmesan cheese.

This dish is perfect for the summer tomato season.

You can also substitute a can of crushed tomatoes when fresh tomatoes are not at their peak during the fall and winter.

How are you enjoying your summer garden tomatoes?

Shoot me a link to your favorite tomato recipe and I will be sure to include it in an upcoming round-up of my favorite recipes that feature tomatoes.

Fresh Tomato Eggs in Purgatory

Yield: Serves 3-4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Eggs cooked in a fresh tomato sauce with onions, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and olive oil.

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Ingredients

• 4-5 medium/large fresh tomatoes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• salt, to taste
• 3-4 large eggs
• optional: fresh herbs like Italian flat-leaf parsley or basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato. Once the water in boiling, drop the tomatoes into the water. When the skin starts to peel away from the flesh, after about 3-5 minutes, remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl filled with ice and cold water.
2. While the tomatoes chill, heat a large skillet over medium and add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the crushed red pepper flakes and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Cook for 3 more minutes.
3. When the onions are cooking, remove the tomatoes from the water and peel the skin off the tomatoes, cut out the core and give the tomatoes a rough chop. Add the chopped tomatoes to the skillet.
4. Mash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and cook down for about 5 minutes. Add a big pinch of salt. Mixing to combine everything.
5. Once the tomatoes are all crushed and mashed, make three or four small wells in the tomatoes. Crack an egg into each well. Cover the skillet with a lid, reduce the heat to medium/low. Cook eggs until they are set, about 10-15 minutes.
6. Season the top with more crushed red pepper flakes and salt. Add grated parmesan cheese and fresh, chopped herbs if you are using.
7. Use a large spoon and scoop out an egg and lots of sauce into a bowl. Serve with a big slice of toasted bread.

Notes

*Substitute a 24oz can of crushed tomatoes if tomato season is over or you do not have fresh tomatoes on hand.

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