Peas with eggs

Method

1. Set a wide, lidded pan over a medium heat and add a splash of olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and salt and cook for about 5 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add the chopped garlic and, if using, the finely diced meat. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring all the time. Next, add the wine and let it bubble merrily for a couple of minutes, then add the bay leaf, passata, hot water, pepper and brown sugar. When the mixture begins to simmer, add the peas, and cook until simmering again. Taste to see if the dish needs more seasoning – if using cured meat, you probably won’t need more salt.
2. Make 4 wells in the mixture and break an egg into each one, then cover the pan and let the eggs poach for 3–4 minutes, depending on how firm you like your yolks.
3. Remove from the heat and serve sprinkled with the coriander and parsley, with plenty of crusty bread to dip in the yolks and mop up the juices.