Baked Eggs

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Baked Eggs

Ingredient Notes

Sugo:

My homemade sugo is what I use as the base here and it really makes the dish. The depth of flavour you get from a slow-cooked sugo is hard to replicate with store-bought passata, but passata does work fine as a substitute if you haven’t made the sugo. Take care when pouring the sugo into the hot pan as it will splatter, so pour slowly and reduce the heat a little first.

Chorizo:

I use fresh chorizo sausages here, diced, rather than the cured sliced kind. The fresh chorizo renders down and releases its paprika-seasoned fat into the sauce, giving it a deep red colour and a smoky flavour base. If you can’t find chorizo, bacon, pancetta or a kransky sausage all work well in its place.

Eggs:

Use the freshest eggs you can find. A fresher egg holds its shape better when cracked into the sauce and gives a neater finish in the dish. The yolk should be runny and the white just set after 10 to 12 minutes in the oven. If you prefer a firmer yolk, just leave them in for an extra 2 to 3 minutes.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 chorizo sausages, diced
¼ tsp chilli flakes
750ml (3 cups) Sugo
8 eggs
toasted focaccia bread, to serve

Equipment

Large saucier or saucepan
4 ovenproof shallow dishes
Baking tray
Wooden spoon
Chopping board and knife

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
Heat the oil in a large saucier or saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add the chorizo and chilli flakes, cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until starting to colour.
Pour in the sugo and bring to a simmer, stirring.
Remove the sauce from the heat and divide between 4 oven proof shallow dishes.
Make 2 wells in the sauce for the eggs, then gently crack 2 eggs into each dish (if your dish only has room for one egg, then just have one in there).
Place the dishes on a tray and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the egg is just set. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to cool a little.
Serve the baked eggs with toasted focaccia for dipping.

Notes

Chef Tips

Adding the sugo to the pan

When you pour the sugo into the hot pan it will splatter, so take care. Reduce the heat to medium before adding it and pour it in slowly. Having the lid of the pan nearby is useful so you can use it as a splatter guard if needed. Once it’s in, stir it well and let it come back to a simmer before dividing it between the dishes.

Storage

Transfer any leftovers from the baking dishes to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The eggs will firm up as they cool and won’t be runny when reheated, so this is really best eaten fresh. The sauce on its own keeps well though, so you can make it ahead and just crack the eggs in fresh when you’re ready to bake.

FAQs

What is the difference between this and shakshuka?

Shakshuka is a North African and Middle Eastern dish where eggs are poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce on the stovetop. Eggs in purgatory is an Italian version, typically with a simpler tomato base. My version is oven-baked rather than stovetop and uses my sugo with chorizo as the base, so it sits somewhere between the two.

Can I make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes. The sauce can be made ahead and held at room temperature for up to an hour, or refrigerated for longer. When you’re ready to cook, reheat it gently, divide it between the dishes and crack the eggs in fresh.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Yes. Swap the chorizo for a tin of drained cannellini beans and some thinly sliced capsicum. Cook the capsicum in the oil first until softened, then add the chilli flakes and sugo and continue as normal. The beans add protein and make it just as filling.

Can I make it gluten free?

Yes, the recipe is gluten free as written. Just swap the toasted focaccia for a gluten free bread or serve with a gluten free wrap instead.

Baked Eggs

Baked Eggs

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients

Equipment

Directions

Notes

FAQs