A simple idea for breakfast or brunch
These eggs have become a staple in my brunch menu. Really easy to make, not requiring special skills or preparation, I would be a full not to serve them every time I needed to feed a lot of people in no time! What can I say about this recipe? It’s really really tasty, very filling and beautiful to look at! I don’t know why, but every time someone sees these eggs baked inside the mashed potato nests and topped with some bacon and chives (or green onions) they stay with their mouth wide open. Is it the color palette? Is it the hypnotizing effect of the concentric circles geometry? Or is it just the fact that eggs and potatoes will always be crowd pleasers?
For a complete brunch I go into a little extra trouble and brush some olive oil onto some thick slices of bread. I broil them until well browned and then serve them with sliced cherry tomatoes and dried oregano. Their fresh, bright taste makes a nice contrast to the warm, soft texture of the nests. Add a freshly squeezed orange juice or a tasty smoothie and your brunch is ready! OK, maybe you’ll also need this super easy, super simple, no mixer needed, Grandma’s apple crumble pie.
For this recipe I’ve found that medium (or even small) eggs work best. Mainly because it is a little bit easier to form the right size potato nests to fit them, but also because they bake more quickly. I’ve also made mini eggs in tiny potato nests using quail eggs. They were adorable! (You’ll need 2-3 eggs per person if you plan on using quail eggs). For this recipe, I make some mashed potatoes and add some cooked bacon and grated parmesan or cheddar cheese. Then I drop spoonfuls onto a pan lined with baking paper and with a wet spoon I make little holes in the middle. Then, with wet fingers, I enlarge those holes, making them big enough to fit the eggs. I crack one egg inside each hole, top with some extra bacon and bake.
Time will vary depending on the size of the eggs. There are times when I get them exactly how I like them, (whites set and yolks runny) and other times when I forget them for just one minute and the yolks get cooked some more. But every time they are delicious!
Now look, I am the first one to tell you that you should use fresh ingredients and try to stay away from cans and boxes with readymade mixtures. But for this recipe I think it’s OK to use instant mashed potatoes. I mean, we want to make our life a bit easier, and it’s also pretty easy to find a box with no preservatives and other additives, containing 100% dehydrated potatoes!
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- 2 cups mashed potatoes
- ½ cup grated parmesan or cheddar cheese
- 4 strips diced and lightly cooked bacon.
- A pinch of grated nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 medium eggs
- ¼ cup chopped chives (or green onions)
- Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C) and line a pan with baking paper.
- Mix together the mashed potatoes, two thirds of the bacon, two thirds of the chives and all the cheese.
- Spoon four dollops of the mixture onto a lined baking sheet. With a wet spoon, smooth the surface and open one hole in the center of each dollop. With wet fingers and circular motions, enlarge the nests/holes to fit the eggs. It’s OK if you can see the baking paper at the bottom.
- Crack one egg inside each nest.
- Add some salt onto each egg and top with the rest of the bacon.
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Watch them very closely after the 15 minutes if you want the whites set and the yolks runny.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with the rest of the chives.
- Serve with tomato bruschetta
- Eat!
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