Nonno's Breakfast Special: Fried tomatoes with eggs is what I call one of the rare dishes my father prepared for us on weekend mornings during the summer. Just a few simple ingredients: fresh, vine ripened cherry tomatoes from the garden, eggs and plenty of fresh bread to make a savory, hearty meal!
Tomato season is finally upon us! Is there anything better than vine ripened tomatoes, especially picked from your own garden? There's nothing worse than those tasteless, white fleshed tomatoes we have to endure during the winter.
I wait all year long to make this recipe. When my first batch of tomatoes ripen this fried tomatoes with eggs dish is the first thing I make. The second is probably Stewed Green Beans with Tomatoes!
My mother did most of the cooking at our house. However, when I think of this dish I picture my father preparing it on a summer weekend morning. That amazing smell of tomatoes frying, fragrant with hot peppers just brings me back. The best part of this dish is dunking the fresh bread to soak up all the tomato juices!
We always use my mother's green chili peppers which she preserves in oil each summer. My father's cooking would always include several hot peppers. The hotter the better! My son has now developed quite a taste for them and I sadly think of how much they would have enjoyed eating their huge bowls of pasta topped with hot peppers together.
And for this reason I named this dish after my father. Although I call it the "breakfast special", I must admit, we rarely make it for breakfast. Most often we enjoy it for lunch, or even for dinner.
How to make Fried tomatoes with eggs:
Rinse and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. If using whole tomatoes, dice.
Sauté a diced onion in olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add the halved tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. The tomatoes will break down and release their juices. Add salt to taste and a few chili peppers, if desired.
When the sauce has thickened, crack the eggs over the tomatoes and salt lightly.
Use a wooden spoon to scramble the eggs, thoroughly combining them with the tomato sauce.
Serve hot with plenty of bread!
Tips and suggestions:
- If you don't have cherry tomatoes, substitute with regular tomatoes.
- My father always scrambled his eggs but another option would be to leave the eggs whole, cover and cook for a few minutes until desired level of doneness.
- Serve with lots of crusty, country style bread such as Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds.
When I got back from my holiday last week I obviously didn't have much in the fridge but a few eggs and luckily I had frozen some of my mother's homemade bread. As luck would have it, my overgrown jungle of a garden was full of cherry tomatoes. We were all set for a fantastic lunch!
I hope you enjoy this simple summer dish which is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Don't forget to follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for all my upcoming recipes!
Ingredients
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- chili peppers optional
- 6 large eggs
- salt to taste
For serving:
- plenty of fresh crusty bread
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes and peppers (if using) and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt, to taste.
- Press the backs of the tomatoes with a wooden spoon to release their juices. The tomatoes will break down, releasing their juices, and the sauce will be thickened.
- Crack each egg onto the tomato mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the eggs are completely cooked. Serve immediately with bread.
Notes
- If you don't have cherry tomatoes, you can also use whole tomatoes instead
- My father always scrambled his eggs but another option would be to leave the eggs whole, cover and cook for a few minutes until desired level of doneness.
- Serve with lots of crusty, country style bread such as Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds!
Janice Short
Hello Nadia,
Thank you so much for sharing your Nonno's wonderful recipe. I thoroughly enjoyed it today as a very late breakfast. I was too lazy to glove up and cut a hot pepper, but I had a new block of habanero cheddar so I added thin strips to the eggs before removing them from the pan. I ate every bit of this awesome deliciousness and know I will be making this often. In fact, I used up my cherry tomatoes but I have some small sweet soft romas that need using, and I am going to make this again tomorrow! Keep up the great work!
Nadia
Hello Janice, I'm so glad you enjoyed this simple dish. It is a staple at our house during the summer months when we have tomatoes in our garden. I like your addition of spicy habanero cheddar, I'll have to look for some of that! Thank you for your lovely comment!
Janice Kay Short
Getting ready to make it again for today's lunch. The cheese is made by Cabot and is easily found in U.S. grocery stores. If you cannot find it in Italy, let me know and I will send you some. It is really hot!!
Nadia
Thank you Janice, actually I'm in Canada so I may find it here. Thanks!
Once Upon a Spice
Beautiful recipe and photos! Thank you for sharing