When it comes to brunch, one of my favorite go-to recipes is a version of one I saw in a cooking magazine few years ago. They called it “Breakfast in Bread” but I like to call them Egg Nests. When I have company coming, it’s one of the easiest dishes to make, but it’s always a crowd-pleaser (gotta love that)!
Today I had the pleasure of having brunch with my sweet friend Andrea, so this is what I made for us. It’s so easy, and that that means we get to spend more time catching up than I actually do cooking.
Egg Nests
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
flour for dusting
2 -3 strips of bacon
1 1/2 c. shredded grueyere cheese
4 T. shredded parmesan cheese
4 large eggs
kosher salt and ground pepper
chopped chives
Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the pastry sheet and cut into 4 inch squares. Fold and pinch edges to form four round shells. Lightly flour the parchment and place the tart shells on it. Prick the pastry shells with a fork. Bake until golden, approximately 8-10 minutes.
While the shells are baking, cook the bacon until crispy. Set aside to cool and then chop into small pieces or crumble.
Once the tart shells are golden, remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet. If the center is puffy, deflate it by gently flattening with a fork.
Sprinkle evenly with both of the cheeses, then make a shallow well in the middle of each one. Carefully crack an egg in the center of each of shell. Season with salt and pepper, then top with chopped (or crumbled) bacon.
Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until the egg whites are set (depending on how runny you want your eggs). I like my whites to be just a TOUCH jiggly, so the egg is runny. If you let the whites completely harden then you will have a soft or well done egg yolk.
Top with chopped chives and serve!
I love serving this with a side of Grapefruit & Blueberry Salad (and a couple more slices of bacon of course!)
Happy Sunday Brunch Day friends!
This recipe is modified from a version in Food Network Magazine’s April 2012 issue.
