Breakfast for Dinner Pt. V

I'm losing count on this one. Turns out Italy has their own poached egg dish, challenging the French's lead in breakfast for dinner ideas. It is traditionally called, "Uova in Purgatorio" which means "Eggs in Purgatory" and generally consists of 'poaching' eggs in marinara sauce, which can then be served over polenta, mashed potatoes, pasta, or by themselves.

For the recipe, we'll go with Mario Batali's, since I luft him:

Yield: 5 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ease of preparation: easy

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Gaeta olives, pitted but left whole
1 (28-ounce) can peeled tomatoes, juices drained and set aside for another use, tomatoes cut into 1/2-inch strips
Salt
10 eggs
1 bunch basil, leaves cut chiffonade
1/4 cup freshly grated caciotta

In a 12 to 14-inch nonstick saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat until just smoking. Add the onion and cook 7 to 9 minutes, until softened and light brown. Add the olives and tomatoes, season lightly with salt, and cook slowly for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down.

Carefully crack the eggs into the pan, keeping them whole and separated. Cover with a lid or foil and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the whites have set but the yolk is still runny. Sprinkle basil and grated cheese over and serve from the pan on the table.


Points: France-3, Italy-1, Me-1. Mmmmmm, purgatory.