Eggs poached in a fresh tomato and mozzarella sauce, all in one pan in about 20 minutes. The trick is steaming halved tomatoes cut-side down with a splash of water for 5 minutes: the skins loosen enough to peel straight off, no boiling pot or ice bath needed. Mash the peeled tomatoes with garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper, stir in shredded mozzarella, then crack in the eggs and leave them alone. Covered, the whites turn opaque and set in about 5 minutes while the yolks stay soft. If they still jiggle like liquid, give it another minute. Serve with toast for the sauce.
Instructions
- 1
Heat a pan and add the water. Lay the tomatoes cut-side down, cover with a lid, and steam for 5 minutes — the skins will loosen so you can peel them right off with tweezers or fingers.
05:00 - 2
Discard the skins. Season the tomatoes in the pan with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oregano. Mash with a fork until you have a thickened sauce.
- 3
Stir the shredded mozzarella through the tomato base until it starts to melt into the sauce.
- 4
Crack the eggs straight into the pan, spaced out — do not stir. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes until the whites are just set but the yolks are still runny.
05:00 - 5
Serve straight from the skillet with toast for scooping up the sauce.
Watch the video
Notes from our kitchen
The skins come off easiest right after the five covered minutes of steaming — tweezers if you have them, fingers work too; wait too long and they cling again as the tomatoes cool. Once the eggs go in, resist the urge to stir: they are meant to poach whole in the cheesy tomato base, and five more covered minutes lands whites set, yolks still runny. If yours firm up past that, the lid stayed on too long — pull the pan the moment the whites lose their gloss.
Variations
- Firmer yolks. Runny yolks are the default this recipe aims for; if you want them jammy or fully set, leave the lid on an extra two to three minutes after the whites set, checking each minute — the residual heat of the tomato base keeps cooking the eggs even off the flame.
- What to serve with it. Toast is the intended vehicle — the video itself calls it: dip it into the sauce, break the yolks over it. The crunchy tomato garlic toast from the same tomato-season video is the natural pairing if you are already at the stove.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I peel the tomatoes easily?
Steam them cut-side down with a splash of water under a lid for 5 minutes; the skins loosen and slip right off. No need to score or ice-bath them.
How do I keep the yolks runny?
Crack the eggs into the sauce, do not stir, cover, and cook about 5 minutes — pull the pan off as soon as the whites set so the yolks stay soft.
Can I use canned tomatoes?
Yes — skip the peeling and simmer a can of crushed tomatoes with the seasoning until thick, then add cheese and eggs. Fresh just tastes brighter in summer.
