Equipment
Ingredients
Garlic Ricotta
- 120 g whole milk ricotta, chilled
- 1 garlic, grated or pressed
- lemon zest, freshly grated
- 5 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 g sea salt
Tomato Tuna Base
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 g red chili flakes
- 160 g canned tuna in olive oil, drained
- 400 g crushed tomatoes, canned
- 2 g dried oregano
To Finish
- 4 large eggs
- 5 g fresh parsley, chopped
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 561 kcal
- Protein
- 44 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 779 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 416 mg
- Potassium
- 1091 mg
- Calcium
- 262 mg
- Iron
- 4.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 86 mg
- Phosphorus
- 623 mg
- Zinc
- 3.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 277 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 39 mg
- Vitamin D
- 7.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 92 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 3.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.79 mg
- Niacin
- 10.4 mg
- Folate
- 74 mcg
- Water
- 241 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Ensure the rack is in the center position.
In a small bowl, whisk the ricotta, grated garlic, lemon zest (if using), 5ml olive oil, and sea salt until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until serving.
Heat 15ml olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion until softened and translucent.
Add the sliced garlic and red chili flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Stir in the drained tuna, breaking up large chunks gently. Add the crushed tomatoes and dried oregano. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
Remove skillet from heat. Use the back of a spoon to make four indentations in the sauce. Crack one egg into each indentation.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Monitor closely.
Remove from oven. Immediately dollop the cold garlic ricotta over the hot sauce (avoiding the yolks). Garnish with fresh parsley and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Use tuna packed in olive oil (Tonno all'olio di oliva) rather than water; the fat carries the flavor and prevents the fish from becoming dry during baking.
- The contrast between the piping hot, acidic tomato sauce and the cold, creamy ricotta is essential to this dish. Do not add the ricotta before baking.
- Serve with toasted ciabatta or sourdough to 'fare la scarpetta' (make the little shoe)—the Italian act of mopping up sauce with bread.
- If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, you can transfer the sauce to a ceramic baking dish before cracking the eggs.
- For perfectly even cooking, ensure your eggs are at room temperature before cracking them into the hot sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Best eaten fresh; yolks will harden upon reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a covered skillet on low heat, though texture will change.
Troubleshooting
Egg yolks are hard/chalky
Cause: Overcooked due to residual heat in the cast iron skillet
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but sauce will still be delicious.
Prevention: Remove the skillet from the oven when the whites are just barely set; they will continue to cook on the counter.
Sauce is too watery
Cause: Tomatoes were not reduced enough before adding eggs
Fix: Serve with extra bread to soak up liquid.
Prevention: Simmer sauce longer before cracking eggs; ensure tuna is well-drained.
Cultural Context
This dish is a pescatarian riff on 'Uova al Purgatorio' (Eggs in Purgatory), a Neapolitan classic. The addition of tuna transforms it into a robust main course, reflecting the 'cucina povera' tradition of using pantry staples like canned fish and tomatoes to create nutritious, satisfying meals.
