Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large lidded skillet over medium heat.
- Add crushed garlic and 2-3 tbsp of Kinder's Cali Blackened Rub, stirring gently until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the canned diced tomatoes with their juices, along with salt, pepper, and the fresh basil sprig.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce thickens.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan and butter until fully incorporated.
- Using the back of a spoon, create 5 small dimples or wells in the tomato sauce.
- Carefully crack one egg into each dimple.
- Sprinkle the top of the sauce with an additional 1 tbsp of Kinder's Cali Blackened Rub.
- Cover the skillet with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for 2-6 minutes (depending on how runny you like your yolks).
- For runny yolks, aim for 2-3 minutes. For firmer yolks, cook 5-6 minutes.
- While eggs cook, toast your bread and place on serving plates.
- When eggs are cooked to your liking, carefully scoop a poached egg with some of the tomato sauce onto each piece of toast.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notes
- Bloom the spice in fat — Add the Kinder's Cali Blackened Rub to the oil with the garlic and let it cook for 60-90 seconds before the tomatoes go in. Fat unlocks flavor compounds that water can't touch.
- Crush, don't mince — Crushed garlic releases more slowly and integrates into the sauce without sharp edges. Pre-minced from a jar will work but the flavor profile shifts.
- Simmer until the sauce holds a well — Create a test dimple with the back of a spoon. If it floods back immediately, cook another 3-5 minutes. You need the eggs to stay put once they're cracked in.
- Crack into a bowl first — Crack each egg into a small bowl, then slide it into the well. You control placement, avoid broken yolks, and can pull out any shell fragments before they touch the sauce.
- Cover tight and watch the clock — 2-3 minutes gives runny yolks, 4-5 gives jammy, 6 means fully set. Peek at the 2-minute mark and make the call.
- Make the sauce ahead — The tomato base holds in the fridge for 4 days. Reheat on medium-low, add a splash of water if it's thickened too much overnight, then crack in fresh eggs and finish as directed.
- Toast is non-negotiable. Use thick-cut crusty bread — sourdough, ciabatta, or a country loaf — toasted deep enough that it holds structure. The sauce is heavy and the egg adds more moisture; flimsy toast doesn't survive the plate.
- A simple green salad works alongside, dressed with lemon vinaigrette to cut through the richness. Arugula or frisée handles the smokiness better than butter lettuce.
- For brunch, pour a glass of prosecco or a light Lambrusco. For dinner, a low-tannin Sangiovese sits well next to the spice without competing with it.
- If you're scaling up, the sauce multiplies cleanly — double the batch in a larger skillet and create more wells as needed. Egg timing stays the same.
- Store the tomato sauce and the eggs separately. Eggs cooked into the sauce turn rubbery on reheat — pull them out before covering and refrigerating if you have leftovers.
- The sauce keeps in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat on medium-low with the lid on, adding a splash of water or stock if it's thickened too much. Once it's back to a loose simmer, create fresh wells and finish with new eggs.
- The sauce also freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.