Baked Eggs with Puff Pastry, Brie, Prosciutto and Pesto
This recipe and photos were provided by Sally Roeckell of Table and Dish and were originally published at 365Barrington.com.
On sunny winter days, with unseasonably mild temps in February, breakfast should be equally out of the ordinary. In the hustle and chaos of school day mornings it’s easy to forget how simple baked eggs are to make. I’ve been trying to step up breakfast to a more whole-food level. It’s been ages since I’ve purchased a box of cereal.
You don’t need fancy dishes or special equipment. You can make baked eggs in muffin tins or even a pie plate. Today I made them in individual soup pots but you can make several servings in one shallow dish. I used ingredients I had in the refrigerator. Puff pastry, brie and prosciutto left over from a weekend charcuterie board, a bit of fresh pesto and of course fresh eggs. It’s really just a step up from eggs with ham and cheese. Prosciutto is a cured ham that has a salty, sweet flavor with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Don’t stop there! The beauty of baked eggs is the unlimited list of delicious ingredient options. Try spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, sausage, or smoked salmon and chives. Get creative! When using fresh vegetables I like to saute them slightly to par cook them before adding to my egg dish.
The difference between baked eggs and the classic egg casserole is that in a casserole you beat the eggs to a scramble. With baked eggs you add the whole egg. The end result is a cooked egg white with a yolk that still breaks to expose the delicious runny yolk. Ok!, If you don’t like runny eggs, simply cook it longer to make a hard yolk. In my house we love eggs over easy or even sunny side up. I grew up eating soft-boiled eggs. The best treat is a fresh egg straight from the chicken. There’s nothing better than baked goods and egg dishes made with truly fresh eggs. Whenever possible I buy free range eggs.
Baked Eggs with Puff Pastry, Brie, Prosciutto & Pesto
Ingredients:
- Butter to grease your oven proof dish
- 1 sheet of puff pastry thawed but still cold (find it in the freezer dessert aisle)
- 2 eggs per serving
- 4 oz Brie cheese
- 2 slices of prosciutto per serving
- 1/2 cup fresh pesto
- salt and pepper to taste
- optional, toast or English muffins for serving
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 400°
- Lightly grease your baking dishes with a little butter.
- Gather and prepare your ingredients. I took the rind off the Brie.
- Cut a large square of pastry and line the bottom of your dish. Keep the thickness even so it cooks evenly.
- Add prosciutto and cheese, then crack your eggs gently into the dish.
- Top with a couple teaspoons of pesto (amount to taste)
- Bake in a hot oven 8-10 minutes until pastry is browned and egg whites are cooked and yolks are slightly runny.
- Serve hot. We like it with good toast or English muffins.
- Enjoy!
Baked Eggs with Puff Pastry, Brie, Prosciutto and Pesto
