Eggs in Purgatory with Beans (Italian Shakshuka)

Make eggs in purgatory with a twist: velvety borlotti beans, Calabrian chile, jammy eggs, and crusty garlic toast for the ultimate breakfast, brunch, or dinner.

Why I love it:

These are eggs in purgatory, but better. I stir in meaty borlotti beans for extra heft and creaminess, and suddenly these eggs are everything you’ve ever needed for breakfast.

I first fell in love with uova in purgatorio in Italy, where the name alone is as dramatic as the dish—eggs poached right in the middle of a bubbling, spicy tomato sauce.

Over the years, though, I always felt like it was missing something. Same with shakshuka. The beans solve that. They add just the right level of heartiness without taking away from the delicate, jammy eggs, and they soak up the sauce in a way bread alone can’t.

Borlotti beans are my favorite here because of their velvety, nutty texture (I keep Delallo cans in my pantry, but when I have time I’ll cook Rancho Gordo’s heirloom cranberry beans). You can absolutely use cannellini beans for a creamier base or go big with gigante beans for an extra meaty bite (here’s my guide to cooking dried beans if you need a refresher).

The spicy tomato sauce coats the beans and gently poaches the eggs until they’re set but still molten inside.

Swipe a crunchy piece of toasted bread through the sauce (don’t skip rubbing it with a garlic clove!) and you’ve got rustic Italian comfort food worthy of breakfast, brunch, or even dinner. Honestly, we eat this for every meal.

And if you’re into this, try my smashed breakfast beans recipe—it’s my favorite breakfast for dinner meal of all!

Here’s how to make it:

a few recipe tips:

• The heat: If you don’t have crushed Calabrian chiles, swap in ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes and adjust to taste.
  
• The beans: Borlotti are traditional in Italian bean soups and stews, but you’ll often find them sold as cranberry or Roman beans. Cook up a pound of dried beans and split the batch—half for these spicy tomato eggs, half for a cozy pasta e fagioli.
  
• The eggs: Cover the pan while they cook so the tops set evenly. Keep a close eye—soft yolks can turn firm quickly!
  
• The sauce: If it thickens before the eggs are done, splash in a bit of water or stock to loosen it.
  
• Serving: A drizzle of good olive oil and a scattering of fresh herbs (parsley, basil, or fennel fronds) makes the dish feel restaurant-worthy.

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