Ingredients

• 1 large beef tomato (about 300 g)

• 2 small red onions (about 75g)

• 2 large (hen) eggs

• 6 large basil leaves or a small bunch

• 1 tbsp. of red wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp. tomato purée

• 2 tsp. sugar

• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

• 5 gm. Parmegano (parmesan) cheese, finely grated

Instructions

1. Cut the beef tomato in half and scoop out the insides with a spoon or a melon baler (I used my measuring spoons as they are sharper on the edges) and put the flesh you scoop out to one side.

2. Peel onions. Slice one onion into thin rings of and chop the other finely.

3. Place a little of the basil, 1-2 leaves each, and 2-3 slices of onion into each tomato cup base.

4. Roast in a hot oven, 200°C 400°F for about 5 minutes, so it starts to soften.

5. While that tomato is roasting, cook the chopped onion, scooped out flesh of the tomato, red wine vinegar, sugar, tomato purée, salt, pepper and the rest of the basil leaves chopped finely or torn into pieces. Let it cook on a medium heat gently, cooking down and thickening, while you carry on with the rest.

6. Take the tomato halves from the oven and carefully crack 1 egg into each half.

7. Place a few onion rings gently on top of the eggs.

8. Sprinkle some grated Parmegano cheese on top, ensuring that it doesn’t cover the egg yolk completely, to ensure a good presentation.

9. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and put back in the hot oven for about 5-10 minutes, until the eggs are set to your liking.

10. Serve with hot buttered toast and good spoon or two of the tomato sauce you've made.

Notes

• Notes from Mamta:

• 1. Beef Tomatoes have nothing to do with beef. It is simply a large, firm tomato with a nice, fresh flavour.

• 2. On a similar vein, I sometimes just hollow out the tomato halves, break egg into it and bake them as given above.