Saucy Eggs all’Amatriciana

blue cookbook

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Step 2

Tear ¼ loaf of crusty bread into irregular, 2-inch pieces. Toss on a rimmed baking sheet

Step 3

with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Bake until deeply golden brown and crisp, 7 to 9 minutes.

Step 4

Chop 1 large onion.

Step 5

Thinly slice 5 garlic cloves.

Step 6

Dice 8 ounces bacon into roughly ½-inch pieces.

Step 7

Transfer the bacon to a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden brown and crisp, 8 to 11 minutes.

Step 8

Add the onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the onion is softened and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes longer

Step 9

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often and smashing some of the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon as they begin to

Step 10

burst, encouraging them to release some of their juices.

Step 11

Continue to simmer until about half of the tomatoes have burst and the sauce has thickened slightly, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (½ cup). Taste and

Step 12

season with more salt if necessary.

Step 13

Nestle the croutons into the tomato sauce so they are half submerged.

Step 14

Using a large spoon, create 4 divots in the tomato sauce. Working one at a time, crack an egg into each divot. Season the tops of the eggs with salt and the remaining ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Return the

Step 15

skillet to medium heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid (or a baking sheet if you don't have a lid of the right

Step 16

diameter). Cook until the egg whites are just set and no longer translucent, but the yolks are still soft and runny, 8 to 12 minutes

Step 17

Scatter the leaves of 2 oregano sprigs over the top, along with more grated Parmesan. Serve the eggs right out of the skillet.