Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce

Everyone has their favorite way to prepare eggs- perhaps
you’re a traditionalist and enjoy them scrambled or fried.  Or maybe you prefer a delicately poached egg
or a fluffy omelet or frittata.  If
you’re looking for something different, why not try to bake your eggs next
time?  Baked eggs, also called eggs en cocotte, are delicious and easy
to prepare. They’re also very versatile as you can incorporate your favorite
ingredients to make lots of different varieties. Baked eggs are also a nice
option for dinner, especially if you’re pressed for time and need to get a meal
on the table with ingredients you already have on hand.  Simply prep your ingredients, pop them in the
oven and dinner is ready 20 minutes later. 

While traditional eggs en cocotte are baked in a water bath,
this method skips the water bath and bakes the eggs in a dry oven, which makes things
a lot simpler.  Here’s an easy guide to
baking eggs:

– Prepare your base ingredients. My recipe uses a homemade
spicy tomato sauce but you can also make a base by sautéing fresh vegetables. Try
using veggies like spinach, mushrooms, onions or leeks.  Be creative! 
If you’re pressed for time, you can use store-bought tomato sauce.

– Transfer your base ingredients to a vessel.  Baked eggs are traditionally cooked in small
ramekins.  If you don’t have ramekins,
you can use any small dish like a small gratin dish (I used a Spanish clay dish
called a cazuela).  You can even use an
edible dish- I’ve had good results baking eggs in an avocado cut in half
lengthwise.  If you don’t want to use
individual dishes, you can cook all of the eggs together in a large oven-safe
skillet. 

– Add your eggs. 
Crack your eggs into the center of each ramekin. If you’re confident
about your egg cracking abilities, crack them directly into the ramekins.  Otherwise, crack your eggs into another bowl
and then gently pour them into the ramekins. 

– Add your toppings. 
Top the eggs with grated cheese or other toppings.  You can also add a small amount of cream or
milk, if desired.   

– Transfer ramekins to a baking sheet and bake in a 400
degree oven for 15-20 minutes until the whites are just set.  Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh
herbs.  Serve with plenty of crusty bread
for dipping.

Baked Eggs in Tomato
Sauce

Makes 4 servings

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon chili flakes

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper

2 cups baby spinach

4 large eggs

8 teaspoons grated parmesan or reduced fat mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and
add the garlic and chili flakes. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.  Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, sugar, ¼
teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. 
Simmer 5 minutes and then stir in the spinach.  Cook another few minutes until spinach is wilted. 

Divide the sauce between 4 ramekins or individual gratin
dishes and make an indentation in the center of each one with the back of a
large spoon.  Crack an egg into the
center of each ramekin being careful to keep the yolk intact (I prefer to crack
the eggs into a separate bowl and then pour the eggs into the ramekins).  Sprinkle 2 teaspoons cheese on top of each
one.  Place the ramekins on a baking
sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the egg whites are just
set.  Remove from oven and garnish with
parsley.  Serve warm.