Italian Egg Recipes

mangiabenepasta.com
Your place for traditional Italian recipes

Italian Egg Recipes

RECIPES
Artichoke Quiche
Pepper and Egg Sandwiches
Seafood Strata
Broccoli Oven Omelet
Herb Baked Eggs
Prosciutto, Spinach, and Egg Cups

TIPS ON BUYING EGGS

Eggs are sold in standard sizes: small, medium, extra-large and jumbo. Most recipes call for large eggs but if a recipe doesn't specify, assume it means large.
In recipes that don't call for a lot of eggs, substituting one size for another is usually not a problem. However, as the number of eggs increase, the difference in the amount will become pronounced.

Eggs sold in supermarkets in the US are packed in cartons with the USDA shield on them indicating that they came from a USDA-inspected plant. Though not required, most egg cartons contain a "sell by date" beyond which they should not be sold. This date cannot be 30 days beyond the pack date. The USDA does require that egg cartons display the 'pack date', which is the day that the eggs were washed, graded, and placed into the carton. You can find this date embedded in code on the side of the carton. The first 3 numbers, usually preceded by the letter 'P' indicates the plant number where the eggs were packed. The last 3 numbers is a 3-digit code that represents the consecutive day of the year, starting with January 1 as 001 and ending with December 31 as 365.

Refrigerated raw eggs in their shells will keep without significant quality loss for about 3 weeks after you purchase them. Buy refrigerated eggs and store them in your refrigerator as soon as you get home from the market. However, even under refrigeration, eggs slowly lose carbon dioxide, which causes the egg to lose moisture and enlarges the size of the air space between the egg and the shell. The combination of these changes makes an old egg a lot easier to peel than one that is fresh out of the bird. So the best guarantee of easy peeling hard boiled eggs is to use older eggs.

Artichoke Quiche

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (15 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Unbaked pie crust

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Saute garlic in oil until golden. Add artichokes and cook 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine the mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, salt and pepper.
Stir in artichoke mixture. Line a quiche pan with the pie crust. Pour the egg mixture into the crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top is lightly golden brown. Remove and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

NOTE:
This quiche can be made without a pie crust. Simply grease a quiche dish and pour the egg mixture in. Bake as directed.

Seafood Strata

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons butter, divided
12 slices firm white bread
1/4 pound crabmeat
1/4 pound shrimp, chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 eggs
2 cups whole milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

Use 1 tablespoon of butter to grease a baking dish, approximately
11 x 7- inches in size. Trim 6 slices of bread to fit the bottom of the dish. Butter one side of each slice and place buttered side up in the dish.

In a bowl, combine the crabmeat, shrimp, celery, onion, and mayonnaise.
Spread the seafood mixture over the bread. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the seafood. Trim the remaining 6 slices of bread. Butter one side and place in dish buttered side down.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk or half-and-half, mustard, and pepper.
Pour evenly over the bread dish. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or puffed and lightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Broccoli Oven Omelet

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

9 eggs
10 ounces frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a bowl, whisk eggs until fluffy. Stir in broccoli, onion, 1/4 cup Parmesan, milk, salt, basil, and garlic powder. Pour into greased 11 x 7-inch baking dish.
Arrange tomato slices on top. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Serve.

To Serve Individual Portions:
Spray 4 to 6 gratin dishes with cooking spray. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the dishes. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Herb Baked Eggs

(Serves 2)

It's important that you have the eggs cracked and ready to go before you start cooking. Serve these baked eggs (uova al forno) with slices of toasted Italian bread and strips of crisp bacon.

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 scallion, white part only, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
4 eggs
2 tablespoons cream or half-and-half
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the broiler on low and place the oven rack 6-inches below the heat.
In a small bowl, combine the garlic, parsley, thyme, scallion, and Parmesan.
Set the mixture aside.

Crack 2 eggs into each of 2 small cups or bowls. (These will not be the baking dishes.) Place 2 individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Put 1 tablespoon of cream and 1/2 tablespoon on butter in each dish. Place the baking sheet with the dishes under the broiler for 2 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the broiler. Quickly add 2 eggs to each gratin dish. Top the eggs with half the herb mixture; season with salt and pepper. Put back under the broiler for about 5 minutes, until the egg whites are almost cooked. The yolks will be runny. If you like them done more, add another 1. Remove from the broiler and allow to rest for 1 minute before serving.

Variation:
Put a few cooked shrimp or crab meat in the bottom of the dish before adding the eggs.

Prosciutto, Spinach, and Egg Cups
(Serves 4)

These eggs bake in a muffin pan and make nice individual portions.
Serve with some fruit or crispy home-fried potatoes.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
8 to 10 ounces fresh spinach
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
8 slices prosciutto or ham
8 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat the oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach in batches and allow to cook down until completely wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cream; season with salt and pepper and add the nutmeg. Cook the mixture until the cream thickens a little, about 5 minutes.

Spray 8 sections of a muffin pan with cooking spray. Fold each slice of prosciutto in half and line each cup with a slice of the meat. Evenly divide the cooked spinach among the 8 cups. Crack an egg into each; make sure that the yolk does not break. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Allow the baked eggs to rest for 2 to 3 minutes before removing them from the pan. Serve 2 cups per person.

Pepper and Egg Sandwiches

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup sliced green pepper
1/2 cup sliced red pepper
4 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Italian-style sandwich rolls
4 thick slices mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly golden. Add the peppers, cook 5-10 minutes. Cover skillet and cook 5 more minutes until they are tender. In the meantime, preheat the broiler.

Add the eggs, salt and pepper to the skillet. Stir the eggs often to allow the uncooked portions to reach the bottom of the skillet. Remove from heat when the eggs are done to your liking. Cut the rolls lengthwise and place 2 slices of cheese on one half. Place rolls under broiler and heat until cheese melts and begins to brown. Remove rolls and fill each sandwich with peppers and eggs.

Artichoke Quiche

RECIPE COLLECTIONS
Appetizers
Breads
Breakfast
Cheese
Desserts
Drinks
Holidays
Lasagna
Meat
Pasta
Pizza
Polenta
Poultry
Ravioli
Risotto
Salads
Sauces
Seafood
Soups
Vegetable Entrees
Vegetable Sides

Home | Privacy Policy | Site Map | About | Contact Us
Copyright 2001 - 2023 Sandra Laux

USING EGGS IN RECIPES

Eggs are sold in standard sizes: medium, large, extra-large, and jumbo. Most recipes call for large eggs but if a recipe doesn't specify, assume it means large.
For recipes that require one, two or three large eggs, substituting medium eggs will do. A rule in baking that is commonly overlooked is the use of room-temperature eggs. Regardless of size, eggs straight from the refrigerator may adversely affect the texture of whatever you are baking. Place cold eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 to 15 minutes to bring them to room temperature, or remove the eggs from the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes prior to the start of baking.

BREAKFAST FOR A CROWD

Scrambled Eggs:
Make them in a double boiler: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Add 8 beaten eggs. Stir until set, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the hot warm for up to 30 minutes.

Frittatas and Quiches:
Make these several hours ahead and serve at room temperature; no need to reheat.

Poached Eggs:
Poach them in advance and transfer to a bowl of cold water. They will keep for about 24 hours in the refrigerator. To serve, lower them into simmering water and heat through for just 1 minute.

Pancakes, Waffles, and Frech Toast:
Keep warm for up to 20 minutes in a 200 degree F. oven on a rack set on a baking sheet. Don't put them directly on the baking sheet, the bottoms could get soggy.

When serving breakfast or brunch to a crowd, choose your menu wisely and skip made-to-order dishes like omelets and fried eggs; they are tough to reheat without overcooking.