Eggs Purgatory
Soft cooked eggs in a flavorful tomato sauce made two ways: Italian "eggs in purgatory" or Middle Eastern shakshuka.
I’m always a sucker for flexible egg dishes, which is why I adore this recipe. You can serve it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And depending on the spices you use, it can be eggs purgatory or shakshuka. In a way, this is a “choose your own adventure” recipe.
“Eggs in purgatory” (uova in purgatorio) is the Italian name for this dish, which is flavored with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, plus shredded Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheese. The name refers to the Catholic belief in purgatory: eggs represent human souls suffering for their sins in purgatory (symbolized by the tomato sauce) before going to heaven. It’s a little dark, but I do love a good story behind the name of a recipe. It’s a great conversation starter.
Now, if you're in the mood for something with a Middle Eastern flair, simply adjust the seasonings and you've got shakshuka. Here we’ll opt for cumin, smoked paprika, and parsley. We’ll also add a couple tablespoons of harissa, which is a smoky chili paste commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern cooking.
The word “shakshuka” means “mixture” or “mixed” in various Arabic dialects. But the name really starts to make sense when you go back to the origins of the word in Maghribi Arabic. Here “shakshaka” is a verb that means “to bubble, to sizzle, to be mixed up.” That is exactly how you make this recipe — by assembling a simple tomato-based sauce and then letting the eggs cook in the bubbling mixture.
There are many ways to riff on the concept of soft-cooking eggs in tomato sauce. For example, there is a Spanish rendition called “huevos a la flamenca,” which is made with chorizo and ham. Other versions include minced lamb, and there are even ways to make it with tofu instead of eggs. This sort of recipe reminds me of huevos rancheros because every family has their favorite way to make and enjoy it.
In our home, we make both eggs purgatory and shakshuka, with a few differences between the recipes. Which one we choose simply depends upon our mood. I love serving up bowls of piping sauce with eggs nestled in the center, then adding a few slices of crusty sourdough bread on the side. I don’t know what it is, but there is something supremely satisfying about dipping crunchy, toasted bread into the soft egg yolks mixed with spicy tomato sauce.
Since we make this dish two ways, I had a hard time deciding which version to share with you. Then I decided, why not share both? So that is what you’ll find here. Our family recipes for eggs purgatory and shakshuka, each with a printable recipe card. I also made a step-by-step video showing you how to make eggs purgatory.
This recipe is for supporting members. Upgrade to a paid membership to get access to exclusive recipes, plus stories and reflections that bring food and life together. I also plant a tree for every new subscription. 🌳