Cheesy Breakfast Egg and Polenta Casserole
If you’ve had the pleasure of a cheesy polenta dinner, topped with a creamy-yolked egg, you can imagine how good that combination is at breakfast. This quick casserole for a crowd is exactly that, made elegant and easy so you can have a perfectly cooked portion for each person with very little work. Layer your polenta with anything you desire, whether salami or ham — or keep it vegetable-centric with spinach or oven-roasted tomatoes. Make nests between your toppings and the polenta where the eggs will cook slowly, giving you a soft-cooked finish that’s loaded with flavor.
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1cup quick-cooking polenta
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1cup whole milk
- ½cup/2 ounces fontina or mozzarella, or a blend, shredded
- 5ounces thinly sliced cured meat, such as hot or sweet Italian sausage, salami or ham (optional)
- 1packed cup spinach, kale or other leafy green, torn or chopped (optional)
- 8large eggs
- ½cup/2 ounces grated Parmesan
- Ground black pepper
- ¼cup packed basil leaves, larger ones roughly torn (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the center. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch pan and set aside.Step 2
Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta and salt, and cook, stirring constantly until the polenta bubbles and pulls away from the pan, about 3 minutes. Vigorously stir in the milk, butter and cheese until smooth and creamy. (It will seem loose.)Step 3
Spread the polenta onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer with meat, greens or anything else you desire. Use the back of a large spoon to create 8 small wells in the polenta. Crack the eggs inside, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how set you like your eggs. Let stand for 5 minutes; sprinkle with black pepper and basil and serve warm.