Shakshuka and Uova Piccante in Purgatorio
Baked eggs, otherwise known as Shakshuka, “Israeli eggs,” Eggs in Purgatory, or Uova Piccante in Purgatorio - is my favorite way to cook breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon egg for a table full of people. The key to good baked eggs is both making a sauce with a nice depth to it, which will do most of the work here, but also not overcooking your eggs.
Depending on your mood, you can swing the flavors of your eggs to the more middle eastern Shakshuka realm, by adding more spices like cumin and smoked paprika, or more Mediterranean by adding flavors like chopped anchovies and capers. This is also a good vessel to use up the last bits of salami or prosciutto you may have on hand. No rules in my book.
⤘
For an Israeli shakshuka:
1x 28oz can or 2x 12oz (400g) cans of the best whole, peeled tomatoes you can find, run through quickly with an immersion blender to turn it into a chunky puree (don’t use crushed tomatoes here, or really ever, as they are drained of a lot of their flavor)
A big squeeze of tomato paste
Olive oil to coat the pan, plus a drizzle of good olive oil to serve
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15ml) ground cumin
1 tsp (5ml) smoked paprika
1 tsp (5ml) crushed red pepper flakes or a ½ spoon of harissa
Salt and pepper to taste, plus coarse salt to serve
4 large eggs
Chopped parsley
Some nice crunchy bread, like sourdough, to serve
For Italian Uova Piccante in Purgatorio:
1x 28oz can or 2x 12oz (400g) cans of the best whole, peeled tomatoes you can find, run quickly through with an immersion blender to turn into a chunky puree (don’t use crushed tomatoes here, or really ever, as they are drained of a lot of their flavor)
A big squeeze of tomato paste
Olive oil to coat the pan, plus a drizzle of your best olive oil to serve
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
Several spoonfuls of capers, smashed flat with a knife
One jarred anchovy fillet, minced (optional)
1 tsp (5ml) crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste, plus coarse salt to serve
4 large eggs
Whole basil leaves or chopped parsley, to serve
Some nice crunchy bread, like sourdough, to serve
⤘
Preheat oven to 375F/190C.
In a large cast iron pan coated with olive oil, saute garlic until fragrant. If making Uova Piccante, add capers, optional anchovy fillet, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until anchovy dissolves and capers are sizzling but before garlic burns.
Add canned tomatoes, already pureed, and stir. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes on medium low, just gently bubbling.
Add tomato paste and stir until mixed. Add remaining dried spices depending on your approach and mix. Cook for 30 minutes or more, making sure the sauce isn’t becoming too thick but should have a decent shape to it and not feel soupy. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
With a large spoon, make 4 little wells in your sauce with walls high enough that will hold the eggs in place. Crack an egg into each of the wells. Salt and pepper the top of the eggs, adding additional red pepper flakes if you like.
Gently place the pan in a high middle rack in the oven and cook, about 10 minutes but keeping a close eye on it - cooking just long enough that the whites set and become an opaque white (no clear parts left) but that the yolks don’t overcook.
Sprinkle pan with olive oil and fresh herbs, serving the whole pan at the table with crunchy warm bread.
⤘