One of the places that I can truly call my happy place is a farm in San Gimignano. Partly it’s because of the wonderful Fioroni family who run Fattoria Poggio Alloro, who I feel are like long lost family because of the way we are embraced (literally and figuratively!) when we arrive, the way we are fed (as if we must not have eaten in weeks), and the familiar way that this place somehow feels like home (we also always stay in the same room, so that even my two year old calls it her “casa”).
Also, it’s my happy place because, well, look at it. I could never tire of looking at those views that change with each season, each hour of the day, each sunset and sunrise. We have a daily ritual when we’re there of visiting the animals, feeding the calves, sometimes checking in on the chickens or seeking out the three jack russells (you can usually find them in the vegetable garden — have you ever seen dogs eat tomatoes?). In the warm weather we take a dip in the pool.
And there’s the eating – fresh, farm meals with produce picked right out of Amico Fioroni’s garden (like these tomatoes for bruschetta or this pumpkin risotto), or Amico’s handmade prosciutto and finocchiona and of course, the bistecca. And the endlessly flowing wine. And the long, balmy evenings out on the terrace watching the twinkling lights of San Gimignano. In other words, heaven.
Recently we found a good excuse to visit when my lovely friend Sarah (the pretty blonde above, daughter of Amico, author of this beautiful cookbook about her family farm and the one who runs the ship that is the agriturismo) needed some portraits taken and we decided to throw in a couple of recipe shots too. Just for fun. Uova al Pomodoro, or eggs poached in tomatoes, also happens to be one of my favourite ever comfort food dishes, the one I go to when I don’t know what to cook or what I feel like eating. Somehow this is always the answer.
I have a recipe for my version here. But this is Sarah’s version, which I love because she makes it the way her family makes it, which was typically made on the days when they bottled their fresh tomatoes for sauce — when there’s not much time for thinking of something else to cook and there are already plenty of tomatoes lying around.
Sarah’s Eggs in Tomato Sauce
For 4-6 people
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 very ripe large red tomatoes, peeled
- handful of basil leaves
- 4-6 eggs (1 a head, but you can put 2 if you’re very hungry)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Tuscan bread to serve
Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet (large enough to fit all the eggs) and saute the onion slices gently until golden. Rip open the tomatoes (remove seeds if you like) and chop roughly. Add to the pan with the onions along with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat, then add basil leaves and mix gently. Crack the eggs into the simmering tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until the whites are cooked and the yolk is to your liking (we like it runny). Serve with torn pieces of bread to use in place of cutlery – this is food to enjoy with your hands!
Thank you, Sarah, for the recipe and the hospitality!
Comments
Wow, I just made this dish for my daughter and I for lunch! Wasn’t planned at all. Just happened to have some leftover sauce and organic eggs on hand. It’s one of those quick but nutritious go to dishes I love… 🙂
It’s one of my favourite recipes for that — when there’s nothing else around this makes a great impromptu meal doesn’t it? 🙂
. We arę meat eaters in Ukrainę ,so i took some pork from the country market than tomatoes, eggs,realny nice dish. We call “bomba”