EGGS in Purgatory
Serves 6
In this dish, eggs are simmered in a red sauce. The symbolism is right out of Dante’s Divine Comedy. Some say the eggs represent souls in Purgatorio seeking purification so that they can go to Paradiso. Neapolitans have long been preoccupied with Purgatorio, where souls are trapped between heaven and hell. Scenes from purgatory are painted in seventeenth-century churches throughout Naples.
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can pureed San Marzano tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can diced San Marzano tomatoes
6 large eggs
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
Toasted Italian bread, for dipping
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté about 5 minutes.
Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil. The mixture must be hot enough to poach the eggs.
Using the back of a spoon, make six little wells in the tomato mixture, one for each egg.
Carefully crack an egg into each well. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet and allow the eggs to poach for about 5 minutes. The whites should be cooked through, while the yolks should still be runny. Sprinkle with parsley and a few grinds of black pepper and serve with toasted Italian bread.