EGGS IN PURGATORY WITH ARUGULA & PARMIGIANO

Eggs in purgatory is a traditional Italian-American breakfast dish. I added some arugula and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano to make it even more delicious! Add a slice of toasted Italian bread and a cup of cappuccino for a perfect Sunday morning breakfast.

1 T avocado oil or extra-light olive oil

1 large clove garlic, pressed

½ t red pepper flakes

1 (24 oz) jar pureed and strained tomatoes (passata)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 T minced basil

4 eggs

2 T grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 bunches fresh arugula

Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes.

Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the pureed tomatoes.

Season with salt and pepper and simmer 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Stir the minced basil into the sauce and spoon some sauce into two small cast-iron skillets or two oven-proof baking dishes.

Nestle two eggs into the sauce in each skillet or baking dish.

Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with Parmigiano.

Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until eggs are cooked to your liking.

Add a handful of arugula to each skillet and a few shaved pieces of Parmigiano.

Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

Serves 2

* You will have extra tomato sauce for another breakfast or use for pizza.

FRESH STRAWBERRY GELATO - Gelato alla Fragola

Tis' the season to get strawberries at your local farm stand or market. Once you bring your berries home, the key to keeping them fresh is to kill any spores on the berries. Put them in a bowl of 4 cups of cold water and ½ cup white vinegar. Let them soak for about 5 minutes. Place in a colander and rinse with water. Let them dry on a paper towel. Do this in batches if you have a lot of berries. 
Ice cream contains 15 to 20% butterfat. Gelato contains anywhere from 5 to 7% butterfat. These strawberries were so sweet, I only added ½ cup of sugar. You can add a little more if you prefer your gelato sweeter. The optional addition of pomegranate juice, adds a little more intense flavor and color.

2 pints (4 cups) fresh strawberries

2 cups whole milk

1 T cornstarch

½ to ¾ cup organic cane sugar or granulated sugar
3 T pomegranate juice (optional) 

Remove the stems and leaves from the strawberries and discard.

Cut the strawberries into two or three slices.

Add the strawberries into a blender and blend for a few seconds to chop up the strawberries.

Blend longer if you want a smoother gelato.

Make a slurry by mixing ¼ cup of the milk with the cornstarch.

Mix until the cornstarch is dissolved.

Heat the remaining milk in a saucepan with the sugar.

Just when the milk starts to boil, stir in the cornstarch mixture.

Lower heat and simmer very gently for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat, let cool to room temperature, then stir in the strawberries and pomegranate juice, if using.

Pour into a covered container and refrigerate until completely chilled.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer to a covered container and place in your freezer, until firm.

Makes about 3 cups