Uova al Purgatorio - Eggs in Purgatory, For Breakfast, In the woods or at home...

Italian camp breakfast... or supper... 

 

Eggs in Purgatory, or Uova al Purgatorio as it’s called in Italy, is a breakfast made of eggs gently poached in a spicy tomato sauce. The egg yolks get nice and runny, oozing into the rich and garlicky spicy tomato broth. It’s so satisfying and delicious you’d never guess it’s made from just a few simple ingredients. 

 

Eggs in Purgatory is often compared to Shakshuka, a similar broth soft poached egg and aromatic tomato sauce dish. While similar to Middle Eastern Shakshuka, the way the sauce is seasoned is quite differently. Here, fresh basil and parmigiano-Reggiano replace the feta and min found in the Sshakshuka, giving the dish its unmistakable character.

 

This eggs in purgatory recipe is a classic example of “cucina povera,” or the affectionate name given to “poor man’s cuisine.” Home cooks with few luxuries on hand made something amazingly delicious out of nothing. It’s Italian culinary ingenuity at its best! The tomato sauce, flavoured with onion and spiked with red pepper flakes, provides a soft bed for the eggs, which simmer gently until the whites are set and the yolk is still runny. This recipe is most associated with Neapolitan cuisine—the Neapolitans are especially good at turning humble ingredients into fantastic meals. Still, you’ll find similar versions in other parts of southern Italy, including Sicily. 

 

Eggs in Purgatory is an easy and versatile dish that makes a great centrepiece for brunch or lunch. Serve with crusty bread or homemade focaccia to soak up the flavourful sauce. Or, it can even be a quick and delicious weeknight supper, served with a side of crispy smashed potatoes, this is something that I have thrown together, last minute at home after getting in late from work and not wanting anything too big... obviously, it works well at camp too, in fact, its the dream sort of dish really. This can all be done in one pan with simple ingredients and is quick to make, exactly what you need for a slow morning in the wild. 

 

On the EDCCooperative winter camp recently, I had the Helinox field office with me, this was to be used as the main centre of operations, my command centre or... well... office in the field I guess, in simple terms, it was my kitchen. Prior to the camp, I had ordered the centre table as well as a second leaf, giving me maximum table space, however, the first time I made this, I only had my tiny tree table, so you can make it anywhere, even the floor.

 

The Helinox Field Office and MCB chair one, which you cannot see. 

 

Ingredients 

 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

25g nduja

1 small onion diced (shallot could work)

2/3 garlic cloves thinly sliced

1 small can diced tomatoes

1 small passata 

1 x tablespoon tomato puree

1/4 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 or 2 eggs

parmesan, grated for serving

10 basil leaves (or 1/2 tsp of dried)

Crusty bread for serving - preferably sourdough, but anything will work. 

 

I used the Trangia 27 and the pot was just the right size, I have the tundra lid, but your trying pan would suffice as a lid. 

 

Tundra lid covering the goodness.

 

In your pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the canned tomatoes, passata, puree and Nduja if you’re using it, basil, salt and black pepper. Stir it altogether, then bring to a simmer and leave to cook, uncovered, until it has slightly thickened, probably for around 4 minutes.

 

All ingredients cooking away nicely.

 

Decrease the heat to medium-low. Using the back of a spoon, make 1 or 2 divots in the tomato mixture, spacing evenly apart. Crack an egg into a small bowl and carefully place one into each divot.

 

1 x divot and 1 x egg...

 

Season the eggs with additional salt and pepper... if you want, I didn't, mainly because i forgot on camp.

 

Cover your with a lid and simmer until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 4 to 6 minutes. Uncover and remove the pan from the heat.

 

 

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and garnish with additional basil. Serve immediately with good, crusty bread… toasted if you can. If you don't have basil, this is where you can supplement it with a spoonful of pesto, which works just as well. I say parmesan as it is probably the easiest for most people to get a hold of, but, in all honesty, if you can get the Parmigiana-Reggiano that would be best, you could also use pecorino or provolone if you have that, just depends what you have on hand I guess,   

 

A masterpiece..? No, just a mighty fine breakfast. 

 

I ate mine right out of the Trangia pot, dipping the toasted sourdough into the tomato’s as well as the still runny yoke, all the while, sat in my Helinox chair with the birds chirping away, the slight crackle from a camp fire, with the bright sunlight cascading through the trees and the smell of a freshly brewed coffee carried by the gentle breeze… Saturday mornings on camp don’t really get much better than that. 

 

Runny Golden Yoke...

 

If you don’t have basil, pesto can be a suitable replacement and may be easier for some people camping. Other cheeses can be substituted in as well Pecorino or Provolone. To check if your sauce is thick enough, When you make the wells in the tomato sauce for the eggs, look to see if they fill up with liquid very quickly. If they do, your sauce needs a couple more minutes to thicken up before you add the eggs. 

 

 

There is something special about cooking something so simple yet flavourful meal in the great outdoors and eggs in purgatory is a perfect example of that. With a handful of ingredients and one pan, you can create a rich satisfying breakfast that feels far more indulgent than the effort it takes. The combination of the runny eggs, spicy tomato sauce and the crusty bread is pure comfort, whether you are cooking this at your camp or at home on a lazy weekend morning.  I ended up making this as a late breakfast/brunch at the Winter Camp, the aroma alone had my fellow campers wandering over, curious about what was simmering away. It is proof that good food does not need to be complicated. Next time you are heading out on a trip, or just craving something hearty and delicious, give this recipe a try, you will not be disappointed. 

 

Now, I'm off to eat my breakfast and enjoy my coffee...