Uova alla monachina

I can guide you in preparing Uova alla monachina, a simple and tasty dish from the Italian tradition.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 100 g of tomato passata
• 60 g of cooked ham
• 40 g of cheese (preferably grated Parmesan)
• Flour as needed
• Bread crumbs as needed
• 1 clove of garlic
• Oil for frying
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation

1. Start with cooking the eggs. Put them in a small pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Let them boil for about 8-9 minutes to achieve hard-boiled eggs. Then, immerse them in cold water to stop the cooking process and facilitate the shell removal.

2. Once cooled, peel the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise. Gently remove the yolks and set them aside.

3. Take a small bowl and crumble the yolks. Add the finely chopped cooked ham and half of the grated cheese. Mix to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Stuff the cavities of the egg whites with the yolk, ham, and cheese mixture, trying to give a rounded shape similar to the original one.

5. Coat each egg half first in flour, then in the beaten egg (if necessary, use an additional egg) and finally in breadcrumbs, making sure they are well covered.

6. In a skillet, heat a good amount of oil for frying and once it reaches the temperature, fry the breaded eggs until they are golden brown and crispy on all sides. Then, lay them on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

7. Meanwhile, in a pan, sauté a clove of garlic in extra virgin olive oil. When the garlic is golden, remove it and add the tomato passata, cook on low heat for about 10-15 minutes, adjusting salt.

8. Serve the hot eggs with a spoonful of tomato sauce on top and a sprinkling with the remaining cheese.

An interesting curiosity is that the name “alla monachina” comes from the similarity of the breaded and fried eggs to the round head of nuns, particularly when they rest on the tomato sauce which symbolizes the habit. It’s a dish that brings a smile, as well as delight to the palate.