EGGS IN PURGATORY

A rich and hearty breakfast or brunch, rich sumptuous meaty marinara sauce with Italian chicken sausage layered on top of butter wilted spinach and topped with a rich creamy duck egg, a divine spoon in every mouthful, also easy to cook for a large family in one easy serving.

Prep time 15 - 45 minutes / Cooking time 18 minutes

Ingredients 

(serves 4)

400g Italian seasoned chicken sausage meat OR

(Heck Italian chicken sausages, remove from casings)

200g spinach 

1 tbsp butter

4 duck eggs

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 jar of store brought marinara sauce or make your own...

The Marinara Sauce

50ml olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 small onion finely diced

2 cloves garlic

2 tins of tomatoes crushed

1 tbsp tomato purée

100 ml good red wine

50 ml dry white wine

1/2 tsp Italian herb seasoning 

Pinch Himalayan sea salt 

Pinch fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp sugar (optional if needed)

Pre heat your oven 180 C / 356 F.  If using store brought marinara place in a saucepan and bring up to a simmer, add your raw chicken sausage meat, stir in evenly and leave on a low simmer to cook for five minutes.

Making your marinara, heat a pan medium hot add the olive oil and butter once melted add the onion and garlic and soften for eight minutes, add the tomato purée and cook for a couple of minutes, the add the wine and bring to a bubbling simmer, add the tomatoes and leave to cook on a low simmer for at least 30 minutes if you can, this is to cook out the acidity of the tomatoes.  No time to simmer then adding the sugar will cut the acidity.  

I use Italian San Manzano tomatoes as they are less acidic.  I also often make my marinara the day before making a big batch and leaving it to slowly cook out for several hours.  This is the also the base for many other meals.

Add the sausage meat to the marinara, stir in evenly and simmer for five minutes.

Heat the olive oil and butter medium high add the spinach and wilt for 45 seconds, divide between your four ramekins.  Top the spinach with the sausage marinara, make a well in the centre and crack in a egg, season with salt and pepper.  Bake in the oven for 16 - 17 minutes for a just set white and runny yolk, finish with parsley.