I love baked eggs, so I was delighted to come across this elaborate version, served as an appetizer before a Spanish dinner (I like it at brunch). When it was made for me, it contained small amounts of asparagus and peas, but you could use bits of any vegetable you like; leftovers are the best option. Use both meats, either, or neither; this is essentially a dish that was created to combine eggs with whatever else is on hand.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　1/4 pound ham, preferably prosciutto, cubed or chopped

　　1/4 pound chorizo, thinly sliced

　　1 cup tomatoes, chopped (drained canned are fine)

　　8 eggs

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1/2 cup chopped cooked green vegetables, like peas, green beans, and/or asparagus

　　8 strips Roasted Red Peppers (page 470), or canned piquillo peppers or pimientos

　　Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Put the oil in a large skillet and turn the heat to medium-high; add the ham and chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chorizo begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

　　

Step 2

Distribute the tomatoes among four 3/4-cup ramekins, making a layer at the bottom of each. Layer a portion of the meat mixture on top of the tomatoes.

　　

Step 3

Break 2 eggs into each ramekin, taking care to keep the yolks whole; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the vegetables and top with the pepper strips. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the eggs are barely set. The yolks should still be soft and runny—take care not to overcook. Garnish and serve immediately.

　　

Cuban-Style Baked Eggs

Step 4

These are vegetarian: Omit the ham and chorizo. In step 1, cook 1 onion, chopped; 1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped; and 1 tablespoon minced garlic in the oil, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens. In step 2, add the tomatoes to the mix and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes saucy; taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Put the sauce in the bottom of 4 ramekins or 1 larger dish and break the eggs onto it. Dot with a little butter if you like and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Omit the chopped vegetables and additional peppers and bake as directed. Garnish and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.