Baked Eggs Brunch for the Sleep Deprived
SERVES 4 TO 6
This is an amazing egg dish. To someone trying it for the first time it feels instantly exotic while still familiar. The tomato base is elevated with the toasted spices, all providing the perfect backdrop for oven-baked eggs. This is great to serve for brunch or while guests are in town, because once you set it down, everyone can serve themselves. I also love it as a weekend breakfast or a vegetarian dinner.
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
1 cup (175 g) finely diced white onion
1 cup (149 g) finely diced red pepper
1 tbsp (9 g) chopped garlic (2 cloves)
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cumin
5¼ tsp chili powder
Dash of cayenne
¼ tsp sea salt
1 (25.5-oz [709-ml]) jar tomato sauce or 3 cups (709 ml) homemade tomato sauce, plus 2 tsp
(10 ml) tomato paste
5 oz (113 g) crumbled feta cheese
5 to 6 eggs depending on the size of your pan
Freshly cracked pepper
¼ cup (4 g) cilantro leaves, for garnish
Toasted pita, for dipping
Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
In an oven-safe sauté pan or cast-iron pan, add the olive oil and onion, and cook on medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time until the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft. Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, chili powder, cayenne and salt. Stir to combine, then add the tomato sauce. Cook the tomato sauce until warmed, 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the feta. Mix until the feta is evenly dispersed.
Using a large spoon, make several wells in the tomato sauce for your eggs. Slowly crack your eggs into the wells in the tomato sauce. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Move the pan into the oven and bake for 10 to 20 minutes, until the eggs are just set. Check at 10 minutes, and watch from there until your eggs are the way you like them. Some people prefer their eggs a touch runny; I prefer them to have a soft yolk but firm white. Garnish with cilantro and serve with toasted pita.
To learn more about Aurora Satler and The Ultimate New Mom’s Cookbook, head to aurorasatler.com!
Reprinted with permission from The Ultimate New Mom’s Cookbook by Aurora Satler, Page Street Publishing Co. 2018.
