Baked Eggs over Tomatoes

May 4, 2011

In addition to the scrambled eggs with sour cream that I served at last weekend’s brunch in the Catskills, I also made dishes of baked eggs over an herbed tomato sauce. Start these on the stove top in a cast iron skillet, and then finish them in the oven. Serve with toast or grilled bread.

Baked Eggs over Tomatoes

Eggs aren’t part of a typical Mediterranean breakfast, but the classic Mediterranean combination of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, herbs and olives is a perfect complement to the baked eggs. It’s not quite tomato season, but when it is, consider subbing all fresh tomatoes for the crushed.

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil
1 small onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
2-3 crushed red chilies
1 small bunch of fresh oregano, chopped
4 sage leaves, chopped
1-2 sprigs of rosemary– (remove the hard stalk, and chop the “leaves” finely
1 large fresh tomato, diced
16 ounces whole tomatoes, drained and crushed by hand
Salt to taste
6 large eggs
Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Additional fresh herbs, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place a cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Coat with olive oil, and add diced onion. Cook for a few minutes, until onion begins to become translucent, and add garlic, dried chilies, and herbs. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or just until garlic begins to turn golden, but before it brows. Add the fresh tomato. Add the crushed tomatoes. Stir so that the herbs and garlic are evenly distributed, and cook for about 10 minutes. The sauce should begin to thicken. Add salt to taste. Crack the eggs over the dish. Sprinkle the olive halves on top. Sprinkle a small amount of freshly grated parmesan on top. Cover loosely with foil. Place into the oven, and bake for 6-10 minutes, or until egg whites are firm, but the yolks are still a bit runny. Garnish with herbs, and additional cheese if desired. Enjoy!