Italian Eggs in Purgatory

Italian Eggs in Purgatory

This recipe is delightfully called “Eggs in Purgatory,” or in Italian, Uova in Purgatorio, because the eggs, representing souls, are poached/baked in the sauce and since they’re held in little indents, they can’t get out. That sauce is pretty delicious so it sounds like “Eggs in Heaven” to me.

But it’s actually a variation of Shakshouka, originally a Northwest African recipe made with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic, spiced with cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper. 

This Italian version includes a few traditionally Mediterranean ingredients like fresh basil, spicy sausage, feta, and red pepper flakes to make it sizzle. The cherry tomatoes add a bright, colorful flair, like in my Tuscan Gnocchi.

Some variations of this recipe are soupier and need to be served in a bowl or personal skillet. This one is nice, hearty, and thick so it can be served on a plate with hash browns, rice, or crusty bread.

The recipe calls for baking it for 10 minutes, but if you like your eggs extra runny, you can simply simmer them in the pan and serve.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This is a 30-minutes-or-less breakfast – I love a recipe that’s no-hassle but still impressive! To save time and effort, we’re not making the tomato sauce from scratch, but we are using plenty of fresh ingredients to make this taste authentically elegant.

It’s both beautiful and delicious – Pretty and tasty don’t always go hand in hand. My Beef Bourguignon isn’t the prettiest dish, but it’s out-of-this-world delicious! This one is both a looker and a 5-star meal, making it perfect for company you really want to impress.

It makes great leftovers – Couldn’t finish the whole thing? No worries! Simply pack it up in Tupperware and reheat it tomorrow. You’ll just want to remove the eggs first.

Ingredients

Red Onion – This recipe calls for just one red onion, but if you’re wanting a thicker sauce, go ahead and add another small one.

Baby Spinach – Fresh is so much better than frozen. You can also substitute kale or even Swiss chard.

Basil – Only use fresh. It adds such a bright, summery flavor.

Cannellini Beans – Feel free to use beans from a can (drained and rinsed), or dry beans that have been soaked for at least 4 hours. You can also substitute other kinds of beans or chickpeas.

Tomato Sauce – I used Classico’s Traditional Sweet Basil tomato sauce for this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite brand. Just be sure not to use marinara.

Feta – You can also use small pieces of mozzarella or dollops of ricotta. 

Uncooked Spicy Italian sausage – If you can’t find loose, spicy Italian sausage, simply find uncooked sausages, open the casings and use the meat inside. You can also just add a nice sprinkle of Italian seasoning and cayenne pepper to loose, unflavored sausage as well.

Eggs – We’ll be baking the eggs in the sauce, but you can also scramble the eggs outside of the sauce, and add them on top if you’re not a fan of runny eggs.

Cherry Tomatoes – Find the prettiest, most colorful ones you can find.

Red Pepper Flakes – You can make this recipe as spicy as you like. If you don’t want it spicy at all, simply leave out the red pepper flakes altogether. I’m a medium-spicy kind of girl, and I find 1 teaspoon gives it a nice little sizzle.

How to Make it – Step by Step

1. Dice 1 red onion, mince 5 garlic cloves, finely chop ⅓ cup fresh basil and slice 6 cherry tomatoes in half.

2. Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C.) Add 1 tbsp. olive oil to a baking skillet, and sauté diced onions till soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.

3. Add 1 cup loose Italian sausage, breaking it up a bit, and sauté until almost cooked through.

4. Push everything to one side of the pan. Add 1 more tbsp. olive oil to the other side with 5 oz. baby spinach. Let it wilt down, then mix everything together.

5. Add 15. oz. cannelloni beans (drained and rinsed), 1½ cup tomato sauce, chopped basil (save some for sprinkling on later), a sprinkle of smoked paprika, a sprinkle of garlic powder and 1 tsp. red pepper flakes. Gently stir everything together. Turn heat too low and stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes.

6. Use a small bowl or spoon to make 4 holes in the sauce where the 4 eggs will go.

7. I find it’s best to break an egg into a small bowl first, then pour it into the hole. You get a more intact egg that way.

8. Place sliced cherry tomatoes around the eggs, sprinkle with ¼ cup feta, and bake the skillet for 10-12 minutes. Remove, sprinkle with what’s left of the fresh basil, and serve.

A Few Tips

1. Make sure your pan is oven-safe, meaning either a cast-iron skillet or pan (without a plastic or rubber handle) that specifically specifies if it’s oven-safe, meaning they can withstand between 350-500 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re unsure if yours is oven-safe, sometimes you’ll find an oven-safe symbol on the bottom of the pan.

2. To prevent egg yolks from breaking, crack the eggs by tapping them on a flat surface and pulling the shell apart, opposed to cracking them on the side of a dish or sharper edge.

3. If you’re having trouble finding loose sausage, simply use uncooked Italian sausages, remove the casings, and use the meat inside.

A Few More Mediterainian Recipes

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