Recipe: Crispy Prosciutto and Potato Egg Cups

Christine Gallary
Christine GallarySenior Recipe Editor at The Kitchn
I grew up in a Chinese food-loving family, eating my first restaurant meals in Oakland's vibrant Chinatown. My love of food but lack of cooking experience led to me Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, where I graduated with a Diplôme de Cuisine in French cooking. After culinary school, I learned how to test and edit recipes in test kitchens at Cook's Illustrated and CHOW, falling in love with the process of rigorously testing recipes to make sure they were foolproof for the home cook. I've worked with thousands of recipes over the past 15 years, including developing recipes for the James Beard-award winning Mister Jiu's in Chinatown cookbook. Living in the delicious diversity of San Francisco, I never get tired of finding new ingredients or cuisines to try. My favorite type is Cantonese home cooking — I'm on a quest to recreate the dishes my grandmother used to make. All the food I test at home is eagerly tasted and enjoyed by my husband, Hayden, and daughter, Sophie, while our little dog, Mochi, looks wistfully on.
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updated May 1, 2019
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These muffin tin egg cups have crispy prosicutto, Parmesan hash browns, and perfectly cooked whole eggs.

Makes12

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(Image credit: Christine Han)

Brunch, especially when you’re serving it to guests for holidays like Easter or Mother’s Day, doesn’t have to be a stressful affair where you’re stuck at the stovetop like a diner cook. Harness the power of the cute and practical muffin tin and make these egg cups instead.

Crispy prosicutto forms each shell, with a nest of Parmesan hash browns inside, all crowned with a perfectly cooked whole egg that can be as runny or set as you like it. It’s how to serve eggs, potatoes, and bacon all in one fell swoop!

Brunch Make-Ahead Magic

There’s no precooking required for these egg cups — it’s really all about assembly. I’ve found that the part that takes the longest is lining the muffin wells with the prosciutto since you want to make sure they’re evenly and thoroughly covered. I’m not at my perkiest in the mornings, so if you aren’t either, line the muffin tin the night before and just pop the whole thing in the refrigerator.

In the morning, all that’s left to do is mix the filling together and get to baking, leaving you plenty of time to make vats of coffee and cut up some fresh fruit to round out the meal.

(Image credit: Christine Han)

The Egg-cellent Egg

Tired of cooking eggs the same way over and over again? This protein-packed and economical staple can be cooked in countless ways with delicious results. This week we’re sharing fun, new ways to serve eggs for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even at snack time. Stash an extra carton of eggs in your basket the next time you’re at the store and give these recipes a whirl.

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Crispy Prosciutto and Potato Egg Cups

These muffin tin egg cups have crispy prosicutto, Parmesan hash browns, and perfectly cooked whole eggs.

Makes 12

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray or oil, for coating the muffin tin

  • 6 ounces

    thinly sliced prosciutto, preferable large slices

  • 15 to 16 ounces

    frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed overnight in the refrigerator

  • 1 cup

    shredded Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

  • 1 tablespoon

    olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

  • 12

    large eggs

  • Thinly sliced chives or scallions, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F. Generously coat the wells of a standard 12-well muffin tin with cooking spray or oil. Line the sides and bottom of each muffin well with prosciutto, cutting the slices as needed to fit, being sure to fully cover the bottom and sides and leaving about 1/3-inch overhang on all sides. You can patch smaller pieces together by overlapping them just slightly if needed; set aside.

  2. Place the hash browns, cheese, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and stir to combine. Divide the mixture among the muffin wells, about scant 1/3 cup per well. Using your fingers and being careful not to displace the prosciutto, press the hash brown mixture very firmly into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin well, creating a nest. Bake until the tops of the nests are golden-brown, about 15 minutes.

  3. Remove the pan from the oven (the nests may have shrunk a bit). Crack 1 egg into each nest and season with salt and pepper. Bake again until the egg whites are just set, about 10 minutes for runny yolks, and a few minutes longer for set yolks. Let the pan sit 3 minutes on a wire rack to cool (the eggs will continue to set).

  4. Run a small, sharp knife around the perimeter of each well to loosen, then remove the egg cups with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle with the chives or scallions if using and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: Place the hash browns in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Line the muffin wells with prosciutto and refrigerate overnight.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat for 12 to 15 minutes in a 325°F oven or toaster oven.

Filed in:
Baking
Breakfast
Cheese
children
easter
Eggs