I’m sharing this recipe with you from a secret location where my dear husband won’t know what I am up to. Why the secrecy? Well you see this is his favorite brunch recipe, well actually anytime recipe, that he considers sacred. If I ask him what he would like for special occasions, he gets this dreamy look in his eyes and no words are necessary to interpret this language of love…for “Egg Cups.” When I mentioned that I wanted to share it with all of you, he said, “Noooooooooooooo!” “It’s too special…it’s mine…it’s just for us.” This is the where the bar is set for all of my recipes that I prepare for him. Truth is, this isn’t my creation and if you are a lover of Trader Joes, you might have had the pleasure of experiencing these little treasures before. I often enjoy perusing the recipe index on their website for fast and easy ideas made with their unique ingredients offered in their stores. I was looking for a brunch idea and stumbled upon Egg and Pesto Prosciutto Nests. This one is so easy, but soooooo amazing and the ingredients can be found at just about any grocery store. Let’s face it, brunch is sometimes a difficult preparation to swing with less time in the day to pull it all together before hungry mouths hang open in your kitchen. This one is great because you can easily tailor the recipe to the number of guests you will have at your brunch table. I’ve made a few little tweaks, but I will bow gracefully to the master of this creation and call this post my “Ode to Joe’s.” So without further adieu…
Egg and Pesto Prosciutto Nests-aka Egg Cups
Important Notes: I prefer to buy prosciutto that has slices separated by papers. It can be fiddly and frustrating to separate slices otherwise and get an intact piece to line your muffin cups. I used Campari or Plum tomatoes because one slice fits perfectly in the cup and too much tomato seemed to add too much water to end result. The addition of the cheese really seemed to enhance the flavor. If you are lucky enough to have a TJ’s near you-try their Quattro Formaggio-blend of asiago, parmesan, fontina, and provolone. If not, any blend of these will work or even just shredded parmesan if you have it on hand.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- Prosciutto* See note-Allow about 2 slices per serving
- Polenta-store bought prepared roll-sliced 1/4” thick and quartered
- Campari/plum tomatoes-sliced
- TJ’s Quattro Formaggio* See note (Parmesan/Asiago Cheese blend-shredded)
- Eggs
- Pesto-jarred
- Fresh basil-chopped(optional)
- Salt and pepper
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 400°
- Step 2 Spray muffin tin with cooking spray
- Step 3 Line each muffin cup with prosciutto. I generally allow 1-2 slices per cup. Making sure that the cup is lined and there is a bit of overlap at the top. This creates the “nest” for the rest of your ingredients.
- Step 4 Next add 2-3 pieces of polenta. I use a little pressure and press the polenta pieces to fit.
- Step 5 Add a slice of tomato
- Step 6 Sprinkle a nice pinch of shredded cheese, about 1 Tbsp
- Step 7 Carefully crack an egg into each nest, keeping the yolk intact. Egg should not run over the edge of the cup. If you are having trouble fitting the egg, just press down gently on the layers just before adding the egg. Add a little salt and pepper if you like. The prosciutto needs to be allowed to crisp around the edges to create a nest that is easily removed from the pan for serving.
- Step 8 Bake until egg whites are set, about 13-15 minutes. Turning the pan half way through. I like a bit of a runny yoke so just keep an eye on them and adjust your time based on your preference.
- Step 9 Use a knife to carefully loosen the edges of the prosciutto from the pan and lift the nest out of the muffin tin and place on serving platter, top each egg nest with 1 tsp of pesto and sprinkle with freshly chopped basil. Serve immediately.