Baked Eggs with Parma Ham and Parmesan Cheese

This is a quick and tasty dish of baked eggs cooked in a tomato sauce made with garlic, chilli flakes and basil, topped with crispy Parma ham and parmesan cheese. These Italian inspired baked eggs work perfectly as brunch or mid-week dish. You could also add some crispy fried potatoes, or big butter beans if you want the dish to become more substantial.

Preparation time

10 mins

Cooking time

20 mins

Serves

2 people

Ingredients

4 eggs
50g Parma ham
50g grated parmesan cheese
Basil leaves to garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
For the tomato sauce:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
A pinch of dried chilli flakes
1 tsp of Spanish sweet smoked paprika
1 can Italian chopped tomatoes
8 basil leaves, finely chopped
Pinch of caster sugar
Salt to taste

Method

Pre-heat your wood-fired oven to 200°C.
Place your slices of Parma ham on a grease-proof paper lined baking tray and bake in the oven until crispy.
To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in an oven proof frying pan or shallow cast iron dish. Once the pan is slightly hot, add the garlic and fry gently for 30 seconds. Add the dried chilli flakes and smoked paprika, stir and fry for 20 seconds. Add the can of chopped tomatoes, chopped basil, season with salt and a pinch of sugar, and cook for about 10 minutes in the oven until the sauce is nicely reduced and thick.
Allow the sauce to cool down slightly before making four wells with the help of a spoon. Carefully break the eggs into each well, sprinkle the crispy Parma ham, grated parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still soft, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Garnish the dish with some basil leaves and serve with some crusty sourdough bread.

Baked Eggs with Parma Ham and Parmesan Cheese

Perfectionists in the Art of Wood-Fired Cooking.