BAKED EGGS. SERIOUSLY UNDERRATED.

I've only seen baked eggs on a brunch menu once or twice, but I'm not sure why more people aren't taking advantage of this versatile dish.  Served up hot, straight from the oven, baked eggs are soft and tender, surrounded by flavourful sauce and lots of warm crusty bread on the side to scoop everything up with.  Very simple to make, and very easy to cater to specific flavours or tastes, this makes a great Sunday brunch dish or even a good weeknight dinner option.

The most common style of baked eggs is to cook them in a tomato based sauce with a few herbs.  In this case, you can also throw in chunks of cooked sausage to really beef things up if that's the way you like it.  Today, I actually wanted to make a creamy, fresh baked eggs dish.  I wanted something light, yet flavourful, that would melt together with the eggs creating a smooth, comforting, brunch dish.

Brunch itself is my all time, absolute favourite, uncontested meal, ever.  You get the best of everything at brunch.  You can have eggs, bacon, sliced tomatoes, pancakes, waffles, and all of the yummy breakfast dishes that exist out there.  But then, you can also have a plate of delectable cheeses, savoury sliced deli meats, crisp salads, and warm dips.  To top things off, it is perfectly acceptable to drink at brunch.  Caesars, or mimosas, a cold beer, or a glass of white wine, these things are all okay!  Finally, it is not frowned upon to have dessert at brunch.  Yes, after you have indulged in many of the above items, you can then follow it with dessert.  Brunch is the best.

In my family, we do brunch in style.  We lay out plates and plates of food, so that everyone can have their favorites, or simply just try a little bit of everything.  My style is to fill up my plate with a bite or two from everything that I can get my hands on, and then just to sit there nibbling away, while drinking and talking, for as long as it takes.  This is supreme food pleasure for me.  I love a great dinner, but due to these fantastic family brunches, I'm always holding out for the next morning.

This baked eggs dish doesn't need to be part of a big feast.  You can use a small ramekin to make a single serving, like I've done here, if it's just for you, or if you want to served individual plates to a small group.  Or you can make this in a large baking dish too and just scoop out the servings for everyone to enjoy.  I'll be experimenting with a few more baked eggs dishes over the coming months.  But first up, let's enjoy Baked Eggs in Ricotta and Boursin.

Baked Eggs in Ricotta & Boursin 
*This is for a single serving in a small ramekin.  Simply double for each additional ramekin if you are serving a small group, or in a large baking dish if you are serving a large group.

2 eggs
1/2 cup ricotta
2-4 tablespoons herb and garlic boursin
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh herbs to garnish (I used chives, but basil or whatever your favourite is will work too)
Olive Oil

Spray the ramekin lightly with oil, and the cover the bottom of the dish in ricotta cheese, making two shallow indentations for your eggs.  Carefully break the eggs and gently pour them into the ricotta.  Scatter a few scoops of boursin over and around the eggs, being careful not to break the yolks or mix everything up too much.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.  You are looking for the whites to be set, and the yolks to be thickened, but not hard.  Serve immediately with a few pieces of warm or toasted bread.