RICHMOND, VA. - Need an exciting way to consume more protein? Our good friend Mary Rapoport, Consumer Affairs Director of the Virginia Egg Council, invites us into her kitchen to share her special sunny egg basket recipe. To learn more about the Virginia Egg Council, visit their website.
A tender pastry surrounds a perfectly baked egg, while the melt-in-your-mouth flavor comes from an herbal cream cheese. There are two versions for the basket – puff pastry is super easy and quick and filo dough is a bit more involved but has a nice flakiness that is lovely. Both are sold in the frozen dessert section in the market. When serving to guests, make it partially ahead – arrange the pastry with cheese, then just crack in the eggs and bake when you are about to serve them. Vienna Taylor of Richmond won first place in the 1988 VA Egg Council recipe contest with this recipe!
6 sheets (12x17”) filo dough, thawed OR 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed, rolled to 10x15”
4 tablespoons melted butter 1 tablespoon melted butter
½ cup Boursin, Rondelé or other herbal cheese, at room temp.
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Parsley or chives for garnish Makes 6, Serves 3 - 6
Prepare pans: Use either two 6-cup or one 12-cup muffin pans with a non-stick coating. Brush alternating cups, generously, with melted butter – bottoms and up the sides. Six, total.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Using Filo:
Lay 1 sheet filo on counter. Brush with melted butter. Fold filo into thirds crosswise; brush with butter; fold in half (you’ll end up with a square of about 6x6”). Repeat with other 5 sheets.
Using Puff Pastry:
Once pastry is rolled out, cut into 6 portions, each 5x5”. Brush one side with melted butter (place butter side down in pan).
Making the baskets:
Gather square of filo or puff pastry into buttered muffin cups, being careful not to tear dough. Alternate fitting the dough into one cup and leaving one empty. Make sure edges of baskets don’t touch the next.
Cut cheese into 6 pieces; flatten; press in the bottom of the lined muffin cups.
Crack an egg in each. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour ½ tablespoon of cream onto each egg.
Bake for 12 – 14 minutes. Cover with foil if pastry browns before eggs are set.
To Serve:
With a small flexible spatula, remove eggs in pastry baskets to 3 – 6 plates or one large serving plate.
Garnish with chopped chives, dill, or parsley.
