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Italian

Uova in purgatorio (eggs in purgatory)

Contains egg (no meat or fish)

Uova in purgatorio

Eggs poached in a peppery, garlicky tomato sauce in one pan until the whites set and the yolks stay soft, served with crusty bread for mopping.

Uova in purgatorio (eggs in purgatory) is an Italian egg dish from Italy, ready in about 25 minutes and made with egg and canned tomatoes. It serves 2 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
5 min
Cook
20 min
Total
25 min
Serves
2
Level
Beginner
Calories
552

Ingredients

2 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Warm the oil with the garlic (opens in a new tab) and chilli in a frying pan with a lid over medium-low heat for 2 minutes until fragrant.

  2. Step 2

    Add the tomatoes, half the basil (opens in a new tab) and a pinch of salt and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

    • 10 min
    • medium heat
    A sauce simmering in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Nanda Mends on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Make four hollows in the sauce and crack an egg (opens in a new tab) into each. Cover and cook over low heat for 5–7 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks still soft.

    • 7 min
    • low heat

  4. Step 4

    Scatter with the remaining basil (opens in a new tab) and pecorino (opens in a new tab) and serve from the pan with bread.

      Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
      How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

    About this dish

    Origin
    Southern Italy (especially Naples), Italy · Commonly attributedMore food from Italy
    Dish
    Breakfast · Brunch · Dinner · Egg dishes · Main courses
    Cooking method
    Poached, Simmered
    Taste
    tangy, spicy (chilli heat), garlicky
    Diet
    Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No nut ingredients · High-protein
    All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
    Without the optional extras: Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    One-pan · Budget-friendly · Everyday
    Cook more with
    Egg · Canned tomatoes · Garlic · Red chilli flakes · Basil · Crusty bread / baguette
    Techniques
    Simmering · Poaching

    Allergens

    • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom pecorino romano
    • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
    • Contains: Wheatfrom crusty bread / baguette
    • Contains: Glutenfrom crusty bread / baguette
    • May contain: Sesamefrom crusty bread / baguette

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    552 kcal per serving

    Estimated

    1 serving ≈ 396 g · recipe makes 2

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 16%
    • Carbohydrate 33%
    • Fat 52%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy552 kcal139 kcal
    Protein22 g5.6 g
    Carbohydrate45.6 g11.5 g
    Net carbohydrate40 g10.1 g
    Sugars8.8 g2.2 g
    Added sugars0 g0 g
    Fibre5.6 g1.4 g
    Fat32 g8.1 g
    Saturated fat6.4 g1.6 g
    Trans fat——
    Cholesterol372 mg94 mg
    Sodium——
    Salt equivalent——
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    632 mg
    Calcium
    169 mg
    Iron
    5.9 mg
    Magnesium
    57 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    214 µg
    Vitamin C
    27 mg
    Vitamin D
    2 µg
    Vitamin B12
    0.9 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    184 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Optional ingredients are not included: pecorino romano.
    • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): salt — so sodium is shown as unknown.
    • Red chilli flakes: Ground cayenne (FDC 170932) used as a stand-in for dried chilli flakes such as pul biber or Aleppo pepper.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Food safety

    • Runny or lightly cooked eggs: the UK Food Standards Agency says hen eggs with the British Lion mark or from the Laid in Britain scheme can be eaten lightly cooked by everyone, including young children, pregnant people and older adults (but not people who are severely immunocompromised). Otherwise — and following USDA advice in the US — cook eggs until white and yolk are firm for vulnerable groups, or use pasteurised eggs. Duck, goose and quail eggs should always be cooked through.

    Storage

    • Best eaten straight away; the sauce alone keeps 3 days.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    What the dish is built around

    Main ingredient

    Used in steps 2, 3, 4

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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