Prosciutto Egg Cups with Pesto
This post is sponsored by Parma Ham and Honest Cooking magazine.
Remember when I told you that olive tapenade is one of my favorite foods? Prosciutto de parma is another one that is close to the top of my list.
So when I was offered the opportunity to work with this product, create a holiday-inspired recipe, and help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma, I was pretty excited.
Prosciutto de parma is thin and delicate, but deliciously salty and oh so flavorful. I sort of look at it like the “better bacon” of the food world. Yes, I went there.
It is great as an antipasto or accompaniment to almost anything and everything: cheese or fruit, sandwiches (like that massive one I ate in Italy that was the size of my head!), pizzas, or crisped up and used as a garnish or topping.
It can do it all and more.
I’m usually more than happy to eat prosciutto on its own, slice by slice, but I figured that wasn’t incredibly creative.
Instead I came up with these fun Prosciutto Egg Cups inspired by similar versions made with bacon. To add an extra element of surprise, I added a layer of homemade basil pesto.
Despite appearing a bit complicated, this recipe is very straight-forward. It is all about the assembly. The first step is cutting and toasting small rounds of sandwich bread, which form the base and first layer of the egg cups.
Prosciutto is then lined very thinly around the edges to form the sides and hold everything together. Top with a spoonful of pesto, add an egg, and throw them in a 350°F (175°C) oven until the whites are set and the yolks are soft and runny.
Note: Although you might be tempted (and it does indeed work) to make the entire “cup” out of prosciutto and skip the bread layer, I don’t recommend this as it makes the egg cups too salty in my opinion.
Instead, try to use roughly half a slice of prosciutto per egg cup.
These would be perfect to serve at a festive breakfast or brunch spread over the upcoming holidays, but you could easily downscale the recipe and serve them for yourself any day of the week.
Not a shabby weekday breakfast, huh?
Prosciutto Egg Cups with Pesto
Ingredients
Basil Pesto:
- 2 medium garlic cloves
- 2 heading cups fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- freshly ground black pepper
Egg Cups:
- 3-4 slices whole wheat or white sandwich bread
- 4-6 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto de Parma ham
- basil pesto see recipe above
- 12 large eggs
Instructions
- Prepare Bread: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a two-inch biscuit cutter, cut the bread into 12 rounds–you will need about 3-4 slices, depending on their size. Place the bread on a small baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes.
- Prepare Pesto: Place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until fincely minced. Add the basil. While pulsing, slowly add the olive oil until the pesto is smooth.
- Assemble Egg Cups: Grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan with olive oil or another baking spray. Line the bottom of each cup with a toasted bread round.
- Slice each prosciutto slice in half lengthwise and line the sides of the each muffin cup with the prosciutto. The prosciutto should be touching the bottom of each cup and be level with the top or slightly above (try to avoid double layering the prosciutto as it gets saltier during baking).
- Spread a small spoonful (teaspoon or so) of pesto onto the top of the bread base. Crack one egg into each well on top of the pesto. Do not season.
- Bake for 17 to 22 minutes or until the white has just set, but the yolk is still soft and the prosciutto is crisp. Allow to cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes before carefully removing and setting on a large platter. Serve hot.
Tips for Success:
- Pesto can be made up to a day or two in advance, covered with a light layer of olive oil, and kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
39 Comments on “Prosciutto Egg Cups with Pesto”
I’m a little confused as to the assembly order, the pictures and the text are mixing me up. ….
Oil the cup, then the bread, then pesto, then the prosciutto, then egg? Or oil, then prosciutto, then bread, then pesto, then egg?
They look awesome! My wife got a promotion and is moving her office to another city. Her employees are throwing a brunch party, and I’m gonna take these for her staff…
I realize I’m several years late but google sent me over here. I’d like to clarify the steps like Russ says in his comment.. If you put the toast at the very bottom with prosciutto above it, I’d think the toast would not catch all of the running egg.
The bottom of a muffin tin is not very large. Maybe have another piece of toast on the side of the plate to soak it all up?
Thanks for posting. This is one of those rare recipes that you could cook 2 just as easily as 12 If you want to try but don’t have a crowd. Unlike lots of other baked breakfast items, like casseroles or baked French toast – even if you cook individual serving sizes, it doesn’t make sense to have a whole dish all ready in the fridge for only one or two people!
Sorry for the confusion. The bread makes the base layer and the prosciutto makes up the sides of the cup. The bread and prosciutto do contain the egg, and the egg cooks during the bake time, so don’t worry about it not coming out cleanly!
Thanks Laura. Otherwise awesome recipe. – And it’s still making the rounds!
Wow, I just made egg cups, then I ran across this blog. Needless to say, I was not ready. I had to fight the urge to run to the store and make this version, my will power lost out and I ended up trying these. The toast and pesto additions you’ve made are amazing and show great creativity. I love it! You have a new fan!
So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for the kind words Tywan! 🙂
I tried out this recipe and I love it! I’ll definitely be making it again. Thanks for sharing. I’d love to make it for my family at thanksgiving but I’ve got one person who can’t eat any proteins other than fish and chicken. I was wondering, would smoked salmon work similarly to the prosciutto in this recipe?
Hi AJ So glad to hear that you enjoyed it! I definitely would NOT recommend substituting the prosciutto with smoked salmon. You don’t want to bake smoked salmon, and if you did, it would not create a cup (and would fall apart). This tartine recipe might be a good option for you.
Hi Laura. I think I’m becoming your number 1 fan 🙂 I made these cups. Came out great! Another keeper from you. Thank you! I wish there was a way to post a picture. cause I had to take a picture so beautiful those cups turned out.
I want this. Like, right now.
Laura,
Prosciutto is one of my favorites too and this looks beautiful, thanks!
Kevin
Thanks so much Kevin! So glad you visited.
Soo cute and a perfect breakfast!
Thanks Nicole! Hope you had a great weekend!
What a great idea. These look like the ultimate breakfast treat.
Thank you Chris! 🙂
These are awesome! I love that you added pesto, too.
Thanks so much Ashley! I loved the pesto too, it definitely adds a surprise element.
These look delicious. The best egg cups I’ve seen so far. I bet that pesto takes it over the top. Pinning!
Aww, you’re so sweet. Thank you Norma! 🙂 Means a lot.
Wow! these are beautiful and verity interesting! I didn’t know you loved prosciutto so much! Wow! Will have to try these! very clever i idea and beautiful photos, as always!
Wow, I think I could eat this every day for breakfast, lunch or dinner! These look fab! I love that little bowl that looks like a wheel of Parm!
Thanks!! My mom got that for me–it actually comes with a top and a spoon, it’s a parmesan bowl. I love it too.
Those are the coolest eggs ever! Pinned!
Yay!! Thank you Liz!
Proscuitto makes me swoon! Add pesto and some yolky eggs (the best way to have eggs!) and the swooning situation over here is getting a little out of control. These are so perfect for holiday brunching!!
Haha! 🙂 Thanks so much Kelli! Hope you had a great weekend!
creative recipe, I guess you decided to go with these instead of the fritatta bites?!
Yes! It was a close decision though 😉
I know people say this all the time, but you blew my mind with adding in the little toast circle! I’ve made these cups before with ham slices and just eggs and veggies inside and always felt it needed a little something extra. And great idea using proscuitto! Can’t wait to try this.
Awww, thanks Natalie! It definitely helps–because the prosciutto is a lot saltier than bacon/ham. Plus, nothing’s better than eggs ‘n toast, right? Please report back if you try it!
How incredible are these?! They look so classy and elegant!
Thanks Steph!! 🙂
L, This looks AMAZING! I love prosciutto SO much – I love getting some from the shop down in Little Italy.
Thanks K! I’m so jealous–I have a pretty good Italian store near me, but nothing close to Little Italy.
Wow, my mouth is watering! These looks great! I love anything with a runny egg yolk (in case you couldn’t tell already)!
Haha! Yes, runny yolks are mandatory around here. Thanks so much Molly!
These are amazing and so fun and cute! It is a triple threat holiday food! And I love eggs, pest, toast and prosciutto! This recipe could not get any better!
Thanks so much Tieghan!