We’re not saying that eggs baked in aubergine, bacon and ricotta sauce with watercress is the perfect breakfast idea, but if the shoe fits…
Eggs baked in aubergine, bacon and ricotta sauce with watercress
Ingredients
- 125g (½ pack) streaky bacon
- 15ml (1 tbsp) olive or avocado oil
- 15ml (1 tbsp) butter
- ½ medium onion, finely diced
- 1 medium aubergine, diced
- 2,5ml (½ tsp) green chillies, finely chopped (optional)
- 2,5ml (½ tsp) crushed garlic
- 150g ricotta
- 125ml (½ cup) vegetable stock
- 40g watercress
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 large free-range eggs
- fresh chives, to serve
- fresh basil, to serve
- fresh, crusty bread, to serve
Instructions
Preheat the grill.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the strips of bacon on the tray. Grill in the oven until golden and crispy, 4 – 5 minutes. Roughly cut the strips of bacon into thirds.
Lower the oven temperature to 180°C.
Heat the oil and butter in a cast-iron or ovenproof pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the aubergine, chilli and garlic, and fry over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the ricotta and stock, and allow the mixture to bubble, 2 – 3 minutes. Add the watercress and remove the pot from the heat. The residual heat of the pot will lightly cook the watercress. Stir in the bacon and season to taste.
Use a spoon to gently make 4 hollows in the thick sauce for the eggs. Crack open the eggs and gently pour them into the hollows. Place in the oven to bake for 10 – 12 minutes, depending on how soft or hard you prefer your eggs.
Scatter chopped chives and basil on top and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
Replace the bacon with mushrooms for a vegetarian alternative.
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