Eggs in Sauce with Green Beans

Eggs in Purgatory or as we call it Eggs in Sauce with Green Beans. This is one of my favorite dinners. The eggs, the sauce and the green beans, fresh from Dad's garden. The only thing this needs is Italian bread! Of course if you leave the kitchen someone may add some cooked bacon to the pot! Nice touch. It was like bacon and eggs with sauce, and green beans.

I just realized for as many times as I have made this meal I have not described how it is prepared. This is one of those dishes that every Italian family makes and everyone has a different recipe. This is how my mom use to make it.

First prepare the sauce. I saute a chopped onion in a pot with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil until translucent and then add diced tomatoes, fresh if you have them, and if you don't either stop by my Dad's to pick some up or use canned tomatoes. I let that simmer for about 30 minutes, until the tomatoes break down.

While the sauce is simmering I steam the green beans, or even zucchini works in a pinch. After the beans turn a nice bright green they. Set them aside.

Now back to the sauce. After seasoning the sauce with salt, pepper, oregano and crushed red pepper it is time to add the eggs. The sauce should be bubbling, not boiling but bubbling. Break each egg in a small bowl and slide it into the sauce. Using a spoon cover the sides of the egg with sauce. Repeat this step with however many eggs you use. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot for 15 to 20 minutes, until the eggs poach. We like are eggs on the firm side in this dish so we go for 20 minutes.

Next add those steamed green beans. You could add the green beans to the sauce before you add the eggs. It is really a personal preference.

And yes you can add meat to this dish. As was demonstrated this evening. Chris added some cooked bacon to the pan. Hot dogs would also work. 

Now the most important step is to slice half a loaf of Italian bread. You will want to sop up every drop of this!