rosemary gruyère baked eggs

Philosophical question:

Are ramekins worth the space they take up in your (very small rental) kitchen cupboard?

Sure, they sit there looking all cute and individual, but do I ever pull them out and actually bake things in them?

Possibly twice, since I picked them out after our wedding almost four years ago.

At the time, I really liked the idea of them: sweet little casserole dishes especially for each person. I bought two sizes and promptly stacked them at the back of the cupboard. Where they stayed.

Until now.

Until baked eggs entered my world. 

I even used both sizes of ramekin. (Although that was because I buttered the larger size and realized it was too large, so had to pull out the smaller. But those ramekins sure felt useful, let me tell you.)

Baked eggs fit perfectly into my smaller ramekins, with just enough extra space for cream.

I have Mark Bittman – he of the addictive and delightful three-minute New York Times videos – to thank for the inspiration. His original video recipe calls for prosciutto, tomato and basil, although he did note that baked eggs can adapt to almost anything.

My husband has declared that his favourite version so far has rosemary and Gruyère cheese – a combination I stumbled upon by checking the fridge’s cheese section and also remembering that rosemary was the only herb left in the deck garden. I also found a lone Californian tomato* on the counter . . . which offered the perfect tang for the creamy, cheesy egg.

Really, you can use almost anything, as long as it includes an egg in a ramekin. Oh, ramekins, I believe I will let you stay.

* Shocking, I know. But sometimes a girl needs a tomato and California is the closest place. Still more local than Mexico!

rosemary gruyère baked eggs

bakes 2 eggs

1 tsp. butter

2 – 4 slices tomato

1/3 c. Gruyère cheese, grated and divided

sprinkle of fresh rosemary, finely minced

2 tbsp. whipping cream

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Use fingers to liberally butter the ramekins (possibly the funnest part of this recipe).

Place tomato slice(s) on the bottom of each ramekin. Sprinkle rosemary over. Divide the grated cheese, saving half for the tops. Sprinkle cheese in ramekins. Carefully, break each egg into a ramekin. Pour cream in each ramekin, along the side where the egg didn’t reach. Add salt and pepper. Top with the rest of the cheese.

Bake in the oven until the egg white is set, about 12 – 15 minutes. Check on them after 10 or 11 minutes.