Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce with Spinach and Feta Cheese
Oven poaching eggs in a sauce like the technique in this recipe is often called "shirring". This dish is similar to the popular Shakshuka.
Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes Start to Finish: 1 hour, 5 minutes
For this recipe you’ll need:
For the tomato sauce:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, medium dice
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 cup red wine
One 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, whole in their juice
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, rough chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, leaves torn
3 cups baby spinach leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Sugar, if desired
8 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
8 slices baguette, toasted
Preheat the oven to 375°.
To prepare the tomato sauce, heat a heavy pot over medium heat, and add the olive oil. Sauté the onion until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and chili flakes, and cook an additional minute or until aromatic.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine, and reduce until almost dry.
Crush the tomatoes up a little bit in a sealable bag. Add the tomatoes with their juice to the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken, about 30 minutes.
Stir in the oregano, basil and spinach leaves, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a pinch of sugar if desired, and pour the sauce into a shallow baking dish.
Use a spoon to create shallow wells in the sauce to hold the eggs. Crack an egg into each of the wells, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still a bit loose, about 15 minutes. Top with the crumbled feta and allow to gently warm for 2 to 3 more minutes in the oven.
Place two slices of toasted bread on each plate. Carefully scoop up an egg with some sauce and place it on each piece of bread.
