Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce

Have you ever had the pleasure of eating eggs poached in tomato sauce?  It's such a delicious way to cook and serve eggs for a light breakfast, lunch or even a dinner.  Nothing could be easier than cracking a few eggs into a pot of simmering tomato sauce, and then having them poach to perfection.

Since there are only a few ingredients to this dish, it's of the utmost importance to use good, cage-free, free-range eggs, and fresh garden tomatoes, if possible, or canned San Marzano tomatoes.

Many gardens are still bursting with tomatoes, so if you're lucky enough to have a bumper crop I strongly encourage you to make a large pot of marinara sauce.  It's an easy thing to do, and it's such a great way to capture the essence of summer. 

After harvesting several plump Brandywine tomatoes a couple of weeks ago (above), I wasted no time in making a most delicious marinara sauce. 

The first order of business is to skin the tomatoes.  Fill a pot halfway with water and bring it up to a boil.  Score an X on the bottoms of the tomatoes (I made marinara sauce with about 8 lbs. of fresh Brandywine tomatoes).  In the meantime, fill a large bowl halfway with water and add plenty of ice; set this on the counter next to the pot.  As soon as the pot is boiling, plunge 2-3 tomatoes at a time (depending on size) and leave them for about 30 seconds in the boiling water.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to the ice water to stop the cooking.  Continue with all of your tomatoes.  Peel your tomatoes and cut into segments.

Marinara Sauce

• 8 lbs. peeled, chopped tomatoes (or two 28 oz. cans of San Marzano tomatoes)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bunch fresh basil or Greek oregano
• salt and pepper

1. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat and add the onion.  Saute until translucent and then add the garlic.  Let the garlic cook and sizzle for about 1-2 minutes, add a few pinches of salt and pepper, then add the tomatoes.
2. Bring the tomatoes to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Using a large wooden spoon, stir the tomatoes a bit and then cover.  Add the bunch of herbs (either basil or Greek oregano makes a delicious marinara sauce).
3. Let the tomatoes simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until they release most of their juices and the tomatoes start to break down.  Stir from time to time.
4. Lower the heat and simmer the tomatoes for 1-2 hours until the marinara is reduced and thickened.  Remove the herb stems.
5. Use immediately in your favorite recipe(s), can the marinara sauce, or let cool completely and refrigerate/freeze for future use.

Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce

• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 2-4 fresh eggs
• sliced bread (grilled or toasted)
• salt and pepper
• fresh oregano or basil
• freshly grated parmesan (optional)

Serves 2 people

1. In a small sauce pan or frying pan with a lid, bring the marinara up to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Add 2-4 eggs into the marinara sauce, spacing them evenly throughout the pan.
3. Cover the pan and gently poach the eggs for approximately 5 minutes.  
4. When done, the whites should be completely set and the egg yolks should still be runny.
5. Ladle eggs and marinara sauce into shallow soup bowls and serve with toasted bread.

The recipe can be halved or it can be doubled.  The amount of eggs will depend on your appetite and that of your family/guests.  Calculate 1/2 cup of marinara sauce per serving.

As you can see, this humble dish of eggs in marinara sauce is not fussy or difficult to make.  It's a great thing to have for a weekend brunch or an impromptu dinner.  If truth be told, you could even make this with some doctored up, store-bought marinara sauce.  Just don't tell anyone that you did.

A good slice or two of some hearty bread that's been grilled or toasted is very important.  I love to scoop up an egg and some marinara sauce onto my bread and simply bite into it.  How delicious is this?

If you have a lot of garden tomatoes and have run out of ideas on how to use them, make a batch of garden tomato sauce.  Marinara sauce freezes very well. When the moment is right, simply simmer some sauce in a sauce pan and crack some eggs into the mixture.  A most delicious lunch or dinner can be ready in less than 30 minutes.