Best Sicilian Eggs Recipes

EGGS IN PURGATORY (OR BASICALLY, ITALIAN SHAKSHUKA!)

Steps:

• SAUCE: Grab a large skillet that you have a lid for. Starting in a cold skillet, add the olive oil, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and sauté for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally so nothing burns. Then kick up the heat to medium-high, add the onions and continue to stir and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and season with a generous sprinkling of salt. Add the chopped parsley and basil and cook over medium-low heat until it reaches a simmer. Then, let simmer for 12-14 minutes.
• EGGS: Add a cracked egg into a bowl. Using the back of a spoon, make a well in the sauce. If the well holds for 30-40 seconds, the sauce has reduced. If it doesn't allow for it to continue cooking for a few more minutes. Then gently add the cracked egg into the prepared divot. Repeat this with the remaining eggs. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes if you prefer runny egg yolks, and another 1-2 minutes for more firm eggs.
• BREAD: While the eggs are cooking, drizzle the bread with a little olive oil and toast on a hot grill or griddle. Rub with a clove of cut garlic if you want it to be extra special and sprinkle with a hint of Maldon salt.
• FINISH: When the eggs are done, serve topped with additional chopped basil/parsley with fresh parmesan (optional) on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired.

SICILIAN EGG PATTIES

Steps:

• Sauce: Saute onion in oil in a heavy sauce pan until soft.
• Add tomatoes, garlic, and tomato paste.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, adding water if sauce gets too thick.
• Season with salt, add basil, stir and remove from heat.
• Patties: Mix together all ingredients except oil.
• Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet.
• Working in batches, drop rounded tbls of egg mixture into skillet and cook patties until golden and puffed, about 2 minutes per side.
• Drain on paper towels and adding more oil to skillet as needed.
• To Finish: Add tomato sauce and patties to skillet and simmer turning once for 5 minutes total.

SICILIAN EGGS

Steps:

• Hard boil the eggs for 10 minutes. Cool them in cold running water. Shell them, rinse clean, slice thickly and arrange in a greased, heat-proof dish.
• Peel and slice the onion, and fry it in the butter in a small saucepan over a moderate heat, until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar and herbs, and cook gently for a further 5 minutes. Heat the grill.
• Pour the tomato mixture over the eggs, top with the de-rinded bacon rashers and place under the hot grill until the bacon is cooked.
• If you do not have a grill, fry the bacon in the pan with the onions, remove it and keep it hot while the tomatoes are cooking, then top the tomato mixture with the hot, cooked bacon.

UOVA IN PURGATORIO (EGGS IN PURGATORY)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over low heat. Add garlic, olives, capers, and anchovy; cook for 1-2 minutes. Add tomato passata and water, bring to a boil, and simmer until flavors combine, about 10 minutes. Add parsley and season with salt.
• Gently add eggs directly into tomato sauce without breaking the yolks. Cook until eggs are just cooked, 3 to 5 minutes.