Eggs en cocotte

Eggs en cocotte are a simple but elegant dish, perfect for brunch or a hearty breakfast. Here is the basic recipe for preparing eggs en cocotte.

Ingredients

• 2 very fresh eggs
• 30 g of butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Aromatic herbs of your choice (for example, chives, parsley, thyme)
• 2 tablespoons of cooking cream (optional)
• Grated cheese (for example, Parmesan or Pecorino, optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Butter two small cocottes (heat-resistant ramekins) with part of the butter. If desired, you can also sprinkle them with chopped aromatic herbs.
3. Break an egg into each cocotte, being careful not to break the yolk. If you want, add a tablespoon of cooking cream on each egg to make it creamier.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Place the cocottes in a larger baking pan and pour hot water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cocottes.
6. Bake and cook for about 12-15 minutes or until the egg white has set but the yolk remains soft.
7. Towards the end of cooking, you can sprinkle the eggs with grated cheese and let it melt and brown for a few minutes.
8. Once cooked, carefully remove the cocottes from the water and serve immediately.

Italian variations can include the addition of halved cherry tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, truffles, or even a layer of tomato sauce at the base of the cocotte before adding the egg.

Eggs en cocotte are ideal for those who love eggs with a still liquid yolk, and can be served directly in their little pot, accompanied by toast to “mop up” with.

Curiosity

Eggs en cocotte have French origins (where they are called “œufs en cocotte”), and are an excellent solution for a simple yet sophisticated dish. In many variations, pieces of bacon or cooked ham are also added for a smoky note.