Eggs in Purgatory with Garlic and Chile
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Garlic and chile sizzle in olive oil, hand-crushed tomatoes simmer down red and thick, and six eggs bake right in the pan. Set it in the middle of the table with bread and let everyone reach in.
The short version
Sizzle garlic and chile in olive oil, add hand-crushed tomatoes, simmer 15 minutes, crack in six eggs, bake at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Parmesan, basil, and bread to finish.
What makes ours better
what we fixed so you don’t have to
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Sizzle sliced garlic and chile flakes in olive oil first. Warm oil pulls flavor out of both and spreads it through the whole sauce. Take it off the heat when the garlic is pale gold, because browned garlic turns bitter.
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Crush whole canned tomatoes by hand. Whole peeled tomatoes taste sweeter and less metallic than diced ones, which are treated to hold their shape. Crushing by hand gives you a sauce with real chunks.
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Bake the eggs instead of covering the pan. The oven heats the whites from above and below, so they set evenly, and the sauce stays thick instead of getting watery from steam.
What you need
the usual suspects
- Extra-virgin olive oil3 tablespoons
- Garlic4 cloves
- Red pepper flakes1 teaspoon
- Tomato paste1 tablespoon
- Whole peeled tomatoes1 can
- Grated Parmesan⅓ cup
- Torn basil or chopped parsley¼ cup
- Crusty bread1 item
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Heat the oven
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 400°F. Use an oven-safe skillet, 10 to 12 inches wide.
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Sizzle garlic and chile
Warm the oil in the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, pepper flakes and anchovies, if using. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is pale gold and the anchovies dissolve.
Watch the garlic closely. It's done the moment it smells sweet, before it browns.
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Add the tomatoes
Stir in the tomato paste for 30 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes, crushing each one in your hand as it goes into the pan, then add the juice and the salt. Simmer over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick and jammy, about 15 minutes.
About 15 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Make wells and add eggs
Taste the sauce and add salt if needed. With the back of a spoon, press 6 wells into the sauce. Crack an egg into each and sprinkle lightly with salt.
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Bake the eggs
Slide the skillet into the oven. Bake until the whites are opaque and the yolks still jiggle when you nudge the pan, 8 to 10 minutes. Start checking at 7 minutes; the handle will be hot.
Pull the pan while the yolks look a bit underdone. The sauce keeps cooking them as you carry it to the table.
About 9 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Finish and serve
Scatter on the Parmesan and basil, drizzle with olive oil, and bring the skillet to the table. Serve with toasted bread for the sauce.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- Use a potholder on the skillet handle until it's cool. It stays hot long after the pan leaves the oven.
- For a pasta sauce-style version, use a jar of good marinara (about 3 cups) with 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and skip the simmering.
- Shakshuka (recipe) is the spiced, cumin-and-pepper version of this idea.
- Storage. Sauce without eggs keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Reheat the sauce in the skillet, then add fresh eggs and bake.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
Why is it called eggs in purgatory?
The eggs sit in a red, spicy sauce, which looks like flames. The name is a nod to the Italian tradition of food named for heaven, hell and purgatory.
Can I cook eggs in purgatory on the stove instead of the oven?
Yes. Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until the whites are set. The oven gives more even results, but the stove works.
How do I know when baked eggs are done?
The whites go from clear to solid white, and the yolks shimmer when you shake the pan. If you like firm yolks, add 2 to 3 minutes.
Can I make it with fewer eggs?
Yes. Make the same sauce and add 1 egg per person, or use a smaller skillet. Leftover sauce is excellent on pasta.
Can I make eggs in purgatory ahead?
Make the sauce up to 4 days ahead. Reheat it until bubbling, add the eggs and bake. Don't store the dish with the eggs already in.
From the table
Made it? I want the full report: first bite, best compliment, and who tried to take the leftovers home.
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Published October 29, 2026.