Eggs in Purgatory

And it’s not by chance that we’re publishing this on a Sunday morning, since it’s the perfect breakfast to serve after a night out on the town. It’s jolly good for a weekend dinner, too. This serves four.

You’ll need: Four extra large eggs, one can chopped tomatoes, two tablespoons olive oil, one clove garlic, one tablespoon butter, salt, pepper, dried rosemary, dried chilli flakes, two tablespoons Parmesan or similar hard cheese. Parsley, extra cheese to garnish, and bread to serve.

To make: Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add one clove sliced garlic and the chilli flakes and cook for around one minute, or until the garlic turns golden brown. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and rosemary, and turn down the heat to low.

Simmer for 25 minutes, squashing the tomato with a spoon until they thicken into a sauce. Stir in the cheese, butter, salt and pepper.

Using the back of a large spoon, make six hollows in the sauce, and crack an egg into each one. Cover the pan and continue to cook for another three minutes or until the eggs are set.

Sprinkle with a little more cheese, and if you have some fresh parsley, chop that and sprinkle on top, then spoon into small individual bowls for serving. Serve with fresh bread or crispy toast.

Today’s egg tip … It’s said eggs age more in one day at room temperature than in one week in the refrigerator. So it makes sense that you should store your eggs in the carton in the main body of the fridge, not the door. That’s to ensure they are kept at a consistent, cool temperature. If you have leftover raw egg whites and yolks, put them into an airtight container and store them in the fridge immediately. And for those who point out that eggs are not kept into the fridge in supermarkets, that’s because supermarkets are kept at a constant, cool temperature, unlike our homes.