Recipe: Eggs Poached In Tomato Sauce

I've long been very curious and intrigued by a recipe called "Egg's Poached In Tomato Sauce."  It's a simple enough dish, being more or less what it says.  You drop a couple of eggs into simmering tomato sauce and let it cook till the eggs are done to your liking.  However, part of me was always like, "Hmmm...not so sure about egg whites and syrupy yolks mixed-in with my marinara."

This past week, I was pacing between the pantry and the fridge, looking for something to toss together for dinner way too late in the evening and with absolutely no ambition to cook, having gotten home late, fed and played with the baby, and sat on my butt for a minute or two.  Spotting some of my home-canned tomatoes and a carton of eggs, I tentatively asked my wife how adventurous she was feeling and explained about the egg recipe.  When she said she'd give it a try, I did a quick search of the Internet for some guidelines and off to the kitchen I went.

Oh. My. Goodness.  They're fantastic!  These are definitely going into the weeknight meal rotation.  I encourage you to give it a try too!

Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce

4-6  whole eggs
15oz crushed tomatoes, canned tomato sauce, or your favorite marinara
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
olive oil
salt & pepper
crusty toast for serving

1) Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high.

2) Crush or chop the garlic and lightly saute it until soft.  Don't let it brown.

3) Add the tomatoes, sugar, and oregano.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  If you like a bit of heat, add some crushed red pepper.  Allow the mixture to gently simmer for 5-10 minutes to round out the flavor.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.

4) Carefully, crack each egg into a separate area of the pan, trying not to spread the whites too far from the yolks if you can help it.

5) Simmer a few minutes until the whites are cooked-through and the yolk is as cooked as you like it.  This takes some practice, but trust me--it's good even with hard yolks.

6) Using a spoon, retrieve each egg and serve with or on top of toast made of crusty country or Italian bread.  Spoon extra sauce on top of each egg.

The sky is the limit on variations.  One recipe I found suggested serving it with quick sauted fresh spinach.  I'd imagine fresh grated Parmesan cheese would be appropriate or even a bit of provolone or mozzarella melted over the top of each egg.  It might even be delicious on a bed of spaghetti or linguine.  If you like spice, try adding some of your favorite salsa to the sauce.