I love to cook. There is nothing more that relaxes me and lets the creativity flow from my scattered mind through to my fingertips and out onto the plate. But, after a 10hr workday at the office, the last thing I want to do is “start dinner.” During these weeknights when I come home from work absolutely HANGRY, I have two options: 1) Cook. Throw something together fast and easy so that I don’t start eating through the compost bin (has crossed my mind!). 2) Takeout. Usually the go-to-option. But after a long, stressful day I want something that feels authentic. I want something that will comfort me, nourish me and assure me that I am home now. So option #1 it is. I cook. When I choose this route, I cook a meal that is quick, simple and delicious. Uova al sugo is one of my go-to recipes because it is what my Mom would make on nights like this. When she had to get a weeknight dinner on the table for my sister and I, but didn’t have a lot of time after coming home from work, uova al sugo was the dish she made. It was usually a meal that my Mom would cook when it was just us girls and my Dad was working the late shift. I think she felt she could get away with an informal, one course meal when it was just the three of us ladies (not that my Dad would have minded anyway). Uova al sugo has five ingredients and they are all staple cooking ingredients residing in your pantry or fridge. No need to stop at the grocery store on your way home, just start cooking and by the time you would have ordered pizza or picked up sushi, your home cooked meal is done! Feels like home!

Uova al sugo
1 serving. Double or triple the ingredients for more…or adjust as you wish!

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups of homemade or store bought tomato sauce
1/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon of freshly chopped parsley
Polenta slices (recipe to follow) or slices of rustic, day old bread (like sourdough or a baguette)
Salt

Instructions:
Warm a skillet with the tomato sauce over low to medium heat for about 5-10 minutes or until the sauce heats up. Push the sauce to the side creating a hole in the middle of the skillet where you can crack both eggs into. As the eggs cook, push the sauce towards the eggs and slightly cover the eggs with the sauce so that they cook together. Ensure that the heat is not too high because you want the eggs to cook until the yolks are firm but slightly runny when sliced into. Add a pinch of salt over the egg yolks. Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat. As the eggs cook you can add about half of your grated parmesan cheese over the eggs and sauce.
Place your slices of crispy polenta on a plate and serve the uova al sugo over the polenta slices and top with the remaining parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. If you are using bread instead of polenta, you can eat the uova al sugo out of the skillet and use the bread to sop up the golden yolks and tomato sauce. This dish also serves well as leftovers or as a lazy Sunday brunch dish.

Polenta slices:
Purchase a ready-made tube of polenta or make polenta by scratch using the box instructions. If making by scratch, pour your hot polenta into a loaf pan and cool in the fridge for about 2 hours (or overnight) so it firms up. Slice into the polenta loaf and place the slices on a baking sheet. Brush each side of the polenta slices with olive oil. Place the baking sheet into oven under broil for about 5 minutes or until the polenta slices become golden and crispy. Remember to flip the polenta slices mid-way so both sides are crispy.