Sunday, November 30, 2008

Eggs Baked in Tomatoes with Prosciutto and Basil Puree


I have been meaning to make this dish for a few weeks now, but had not found the time for a leisurely Sunday morning where I could afford to try it out and take the time to appreciate the result. This morning, the timing was just right: I had a couple tomatoes just asking to be cooked, and Oliver and I were both in the mood for a nice breakfast. I really enjoy making dishes like these that are hearty, fairly easy and fail-safe and that look and feel so deliciously rustic. I've taken a liking to serving food in my cast iron at the dinner table, and this would a great opportunity to do just that.

I got this recipe from Delicious magazine and slightly adapted it. It was truly one of the best meals I've had in the past few months. The salty prosciutto gets crispy in the oven, the tomato flavor intensifies, the basil smells wonderfully fragrant and the egg yolk breaks as soon as you dig in. Need I say more?

Recipe (for 2)
2 large tomatoes
A handful of basil
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Freshly ground pepper
2 slices of prosciutto
2 eggs, at room temperature

Preheat your oven to 350F. Cut the top of the tomatoes with a sharp knife and gently scoop out the seeds and juices with a spoon. Lay them upside down on a couple sheet of paper towels to soak up extra moistness. In the meantime, using a mortar and pestle, smash the basil until it forms a paste. Add a pinch of salt, and drizzle a little olive oil to loosen the basil. Add some black pepper. Check that the tomatoes are dry inside, and dab the inside with an extra paper towel. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around the tomato, and, using a toothpick, seal both ends so they fit snugly around the tomato. Smear some of the basil paste inside the tomato.

Drizzle a little olive oil in a cast iron and lay the tomatoes in the pan. Cook for 15 minutes. Gently add the egg inside of each tomato and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until the egg is cooked to your liking. Remove the toothpicks and add a little salt and black pepper. Enjoy!

27 comments:

Olga said...

That looks awesome! Glad I could be a bit of inspiration :)

Have a great week!

Nurit "1 family. friendly. food." said...

This look so good and tasty and I like that it is simple. I usually don't cook breakfast, it is each person on their own in our house, so an easy to make breakfast/brunch is great.

raj said...

this looks so good!
you went to the fci!
me too! :)

Anonymous said...

OMG! This looks amazing!! I can't wait to give this a try. Glad I found your blog.

Sherry

Anonymous said...

wow that looks awesome!

Anonymous said...

I so have to try cooking eggs inside tomatoes. Sounds genius

Peter M said...

Pertiest little egg warps I've seen in awhile...bravo!

Anonymous said...

really beautiful!

vanillasugarblog said...

yes rustic, but so simple and pretty looking.

Unknown said...

holy cow, this is amazing!!! thanks for visiting my blog--i'm loving your site :)

Anna said...

Oh, I've also been wanting to try this for ages! You've prompted me into it; looks like tomorrow's breakfast ^__^.

Deborah said...

I have always wanted to try this - what an elegant way to have breakfast!

Cherie said...

I want breakfast right now! I have seen this recipe in Delicious magazine. Yours looks a lot better!

Unknown said...

A great idea for Brunch and it makes such a good presentation.

Anonymous said...

"The salty prosciutto gets crispy in the oven, the tomato flavor intensifies, the basil smells wonderfully fragrant and the egg yolk breaks as soon as you dig in. Need I say more?"

Not really. You had me at 'prosciutto', you had me at that. ;)

food makes me happy said...

Oh yum!
I'll try to make it at home too!

Allie said...

What a perfect way to start the day it looks beautiful!

Anonymous said...

looks gorgeous! i can't wait to try this -- i've been obsessed with baked eggs lately, but have never tried actually baking them in a tomato. brilliant.

Anonymous said...

Oooh, this sounds SOOO good. I would love this for breakfast!!

Nina Timm said...

Thank you for luring me to your site. I love your recipes and photos!

QlinArt said...

The photo definitely caught my attention because I love eggs...poached, fried, boiled...
a great idea.

Just Cook It said...

These look fantastic.

Passionate Eater said...

I agree, those wrapped eggs look absolutely delicate and delectable!

Anonymous said...

I found a mistake in your article. You wrote "scoop out the the seeds'
Hope that helps,
God Bless!

Chocolate Shavings said...

Anonymous: I just corrected it, thanks for noticing!

Amelia PS said...

completely adorable!

nandini.p said...

OMG this is too beautiful to be eaten!! . I am glad i found ur space. Ur pics are amazing and very classy!

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