Italian Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict is my favourite breakfast food, and this is a nice variation on the classic dish. I call it Italian Eggs Benedict but it is basically eggs poached in tomato sauce, served on bread. I stole this idea from my friend Natalie who made this for me on a recent visit to Ottawa. I thought it was a very clever idea and when I tasted it, I was instantly hooked. Eggs Benedict generally fall under the "Breakfast" category, but this dish can easily be eaten any time of the day. I guarantee you will be hooked on this dish once you try it.

Italian Eggs Benedict

2 cups Tomato Sauce

1 cup Water

Eggs (2 per person)

Bread (fresh)

Fresh Basil (for garnish)

Parmesan Cheese (for garnish)

Olive Oil (for garnish)

METHOD:

- Combine about 2 cups of tomato sauce and 1 cup of water in a pot and bring it to a simmer on medium heat. You have to really water down the tomato sauce. Make it a little bit thinner than you think you need to. Use whatever tomato sauce you want. Fresh or leftover pasta sauce is ideal, but I'll also buy bottled sauce at a grocery store if I don't have the time to make sauce from scratch.

- Crack as many eggs as you need (usually 2 per person) and space them out in your pot so that the eggs aren't touching.

*** Very important - You must cover the pot with a lid after you put the eggs in it. Poaching eggs in tomato sauce is a little different than poaching them in water. Once covered with the lid, watch them carefully, they will take about 4 minutes until they are poached "soft" (very runny).

- Slice some fresh bread, about 1/2 inch thick. You can use baguette, ciabatta, focaccia, etc... Slice it on an angle so that it will be a little bit longer than if you sliced it normally. Toast or grill the bread a little bit.

- When the eggs are done, carefully remove them from the pot with a big spoon and place one egg on each slice of bread. 

- Spoon some tomato sauce over top of the eggs.

- Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the eggs and then sprinkle them some freshly chopped basil. 

- Finish it off by grating some fresh parmesan cheese on top.