We should always have a carton of eggs on hand because you can do almost anything with them – especially when it comes to quick and tasty main courses! Serve a cocotte of eggs with tomato sauce and everyone will love it, guaranteed! A very cheap and quick idea to make when you’re craving a simple, tasty dish. The ideal accompaniment? Bruschetta made from bread and oil to dip in the tomato and eggs. If your mouth is already watering, simply read on to make the recipe and try it for yourself!
The recipe for eggs with tomato sauce
This is a main course to make on the fly when you don’t have much time or energy to make anything else. Only very few ingredients are needed – and they’re almost always already in the pantry. Make a homemade sauce with tomato purée, oil, a clove of garlic or chopped onion and lots of basil. If you don't have time, you can simply use the sauce seasoned with oil and salt, but always remember to choose high-quality ingredients. Distribute the sauce in single-portion terracotta ramekins or in a large baking dish, but the single-portions are more practical for this kind of dish – plus it’s great for presentation! Crack the eggs one at a time without breaking the yolk into the tomato sauce. Bake in the oven at 355°F (180°C) for about 15 minutes or until the egg white is cooked. Be careful not to overcook the egg – the yolk must dry out. You can also cook the eggs in the sauce in a pan, but in this case, be careful not to move them too much during cooking and pour the eggs gently over the sauce only once it is very hot.
Tasty variants
Want to win the kids over? Add a thin layer of cheese over each egg at the end of cooking and let it melt slightly. If you don't want to add too much creaminess, a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese is fine as well.
Want to add some vegetables? Cook bell peppers together with the tomato sauce and the result will be a rustic, rich, and complete dish.
Don't love the taste and texture of the sauce? Make a sauce with cherry tomatoes by cutting them in half and letting them cook gently in the oven before adding the eggs. If you like them, season the tomatoes with oil and a pinch of sugar and cook them as you would tomato confit at low temperature for about an hour. Always remember that such a simple dish requires top-quality ingredients, so we suggest using good tomatoes for the sauce or purée.
For a few tips on serving eggs with tomato, take a look at our photo gallery above!