Simply Eggs-travagent - Eggs en Cocotte (Baked Eggs, Bread Bowl Style)

I finally gave in this morning....  For the most part, I tend to be an "eggs fried in olive oil" kind of person on the weekdays... it's simple, it's tasty and lets face it, when you are trying to get out the door for an hour commute in the morning, fast is always best. OK, I will admit to the occasional Omelet.

That was, until Sunday....  I was cruisin' around the net while waiting for my Squash to roast when I ran across a recipe on the Noble Pig Winery blog for baked eggs in a bread bowl... The pictures had my mouth watering.  I resisted though, I had already eaten breakfast and was about to boil eggs for Thanksgiving anyway... As tasty as it looked, temptation was low.

But this morning, my friend Cathy at Dutch Baker's Daughter made "Chicken in a Basket", "Eggs in a Hole", or "Eggs in a Nest", depending on what part of the country you are from.  Unfortunately, I was still drinking coffee when I saw the post this morning.  Thoughts of toasty bread wrapped around golden eggs suddenly filled my mind, making it very hard to concentrate on anything else.  Sadly, I am out of sliced bread.... But that is OK, cause I still have hard rolls...  One way or another, I am having eggs and toast!

And thus it was that, on a weekday, I am made Oeufs en Cocotte (eggs baked in cream); but in a dinner roll instead of a ramekin...  It was awesome!

Oeufs en Cocotte

2 hard Dinner rolls (preferably sourdough)
2 Large Eggs
Black Pepper
Kosher Salt
Pecorino Romano
Thyme or Chervil
Olive oil

First you need to preheat your oven to 350 F degrees and grab a couple hard dinner rolls.

Now carefully slice the top 1/4 off, being careful to hold the roll with your palm and keep your thumb out of the way.  (We are going for breakfast here, not a trip to the emergency room)  ;)

Scoop out the interior of the roll with a fork.

Crack an egg into the depression.

Top with Salt and Pepper along with 1 tsp of Heavy Cream.

Sprinkle with shredded Pecorino Romano.

Place on a baking sheet and move to the oven for 18 minutes (soft yolks) 24 minutes (hard yolks)

For the tops, that you cut off, simply drizzle with Olive Oil, Chervil or Parsley and some Salt and Pepper.

Place these, cut side up, on the baking sheet during the last 5 minutes of baking.

Serve while still hot.

The rolls and nice and crusty while the egg is soft and cheesy.  A perfect interpretation of your standard egg and toast breakfast.  This is most definitely going into my brunch repertoire.

Mangia!!
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