What You Need to Know
During simmering, tomato pectin solubilises and lycopene concentrates, while a modest acid addition lowers the pH to ~4.5, stabilising flavour volatiles and retarding microbial growth. Egg‑white proteins coagulate at ~62 °C and yolk lipoproteins at ~70 °C, so maintaining the sauce at ~75 °C yields set whites with a runny yolk. Spice oils are released during a brief dry‑sauté at 150–180 °C before liquid is added, and olive‑oil oxidation is avoided by keeping the initial sauté below 160 °C.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Thermal denaturation of egg proteins and pectin solubilisation in tomato sauce