Baked eggs in tomato sauce

(How many of you just felt like you were 10 years old again reading that title?  That was my intention, folks, but we'll get to that in a minute.)

It's Friday!  And hello, gorgeous spring weather.  In exactly a week, Pittsburgh has endured snow, whipping winds, very wet rains, and now sun and temperatures in the mid-60s, possibly reaching 70 today.  Spring has (almost) sprung, and green is everywhere -- St. Patrick's Day garb, new grass, tulip bulbs, and delicious spinach pasta.

But this isn't going to be a post about foods that play chameleon and blend into their surroundings.  And it's not going to be about weather, though I have no problem admitting that my father has passed on his love of all things related to weather news.  What it is about is a kitchen epiphany.  A "Why-didn't-I-think-of-that-before?" combination of flavors that left me speechless almost speechless.  After all, I had to share it with you :)

I present to you eggs in Purgatory: eggs cooked in a rich simmering tomato sauce to over easy perfection.  This isn't the first unconventional use of eggs in a savory dish (i.e. breakfast pizza), and with the success I'm having, it certainly won't be the last.

I couldn't resist puncturing that gooey yolk and mixing it with the sauce, coating all of the soft noodles.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but the egg kicked up the flavor of that sauce ten-fold!  It was so different and yet so familiar and comforting.  Fantastic!  Delicious!  More, please!  Dare I say heavenly?  Oh yeah, I just went there.  You should know by now that bad jokes and delicious foods are this blog's foundations.

This makes a great Friday in Lent meal for those of your observing, by the way.  So, have a fantastic weekend, enjoy the weather, NCAA tournament (go Pitt!), and whatever else gives you jollies!

Eggs in Purgatory
-serves 2

Simmer 1 cup pasta sauce in a small skillet.  Crack in 2 eggs, cover and cook until the whites set; top with pepper and grated parmesan cheese.  Serve over pasta (optional) and enjoy!