Hearty and filling especially for a weekend morning, This Tuscan Tomato Egg Skillet is a standard fare in the Florence and Pisa regions of Italy.
Eddie's Take:
This very easy to make Tuscan breakfast is a staple in Tuscany. Rustic and hearty it was eaten by farmers. It kept them full throughout the day. The beauty of the Tuscan skillet is you can use a wide variety of potatoes. Purple Peruvian, Yukon Gold, just about any type will do. I also like using heirloom tomatoes when available, the colors really make the dish come to life. I also recommend using a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, it will crisp up your potatoes very nicely.
Try and keep all your vegetables the same size when dicing them, this will ensure they are all cooked through.
The sofrito deepens the flavor. It is the heart of the dish. Making a good sofrito should always take time. Layering flavors is key. The sofrito acts as the acid of the dish cutting through the richness of both the potato hash and the poached egg.
The poached egg can be tricky but if you follow my instructions you should have no problems getting the right results, firm on the outside and runny on the inside. Using white vinegar, salting your water, and having an ice bath ready are all very important. Enjoy your “Pomodoro Toscano e Padella Uovo”.
Questions and Answers
How long do I poach the egg for?
5 minutes in simmering hot salted water.
What can I use instead of a cast-iron skillet?
You can use a stainless steel pan, but stay way from Teflon pans.
How long will it keep for ?
You can have it the next morning, because the potatoes and sofrito will hold, but you'll want to poach your eggs the day of.
Do I peel the potatoes?
No need. The skin will crisp up nicely. But if you don't like skin on your potatoes...peel it.
Katherine's Take:
I love when Eddie starts to make breakfast while the house is still asleep. Hearing the sizzle of frying potatoes and the warm wafting scent of tangy tomatoes is a fantastic way to start the day. Gathering at the table, Eddie placed the skillet at the center along with thick slices of warm Italian bread and a dish of salted butter. The bread was perfect vehicle to sop up the sofrito and poached egg. I recommend a tall glass of iced Chamomile Lemon tea or a light Pinot Grigio if you're making this dish for brunch.
Kids Verdict:
The potatoes and sauce are delicious in my tummy, but I don't like the egg insides.
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Tuscan Tomato Egg Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 whole potatoes unpeeled and diced
- 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons, separated
- 1 stick butter 4 oz.
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sage chopped
- 1 tablespoon rosemary chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley chopped
- 4 whole eggs cage free
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 whole yellow onion diced
- 3 whole roma tomatoes diced
- 3 sprig thyme
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon basil julinned
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon saffron optional
Instructions
- In a medium stock pot, boil potatoes in salted water, until tender or about 5 minutes. Remove, strain and allow to cool.
- Brush medium size cast iron skillet with olive oil. Over medium heat, add potatoes. Sear on all sides until golden brown.
- Add sage, rosemary and parsley, black pepper, salt and butter, remove from heat. Stir once over and set aside.
- In medium size pan on medium heat add remaining olive oil. Wait 2 minutes then add onions. Sweat until translucent or about 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, crushed garlic, and salt. Cook about 10 minutes on low heat.
- Fold in herbs. Saffron is optional. Set aside.
- In a medium size pot add 5 cups water and bring to a boil. Add white vinegar, and salt. Reduce heat to low.
- Stir water to create vortex and crack egg in center of vortex. No more than two eggs at a time.
- Cook 6 minutes on low heat, remove with slotted spoon.
- Gently place poached eggs into ice bath. Leave submerged for 8 minutes.
- Remove and allow to come back to room temperature.
Samantha says
I recently bought a skillet and have been on the search for recipes specifically for skillets. So I was happy to find this recipe. I found it very easy to make and it was great for breakfast and something different than our usual routine.
Love your around the world concept, btw!