If food historians have their facts right, the habit of eating eggs for breakfast is rooted in farm life before the Industrial Revolution. Hens have laid eggs during the night, and the eggs just needed to be collected and cooked. Since they require short cooking time with very little preparation, eggs were a fast and convenient source of protein that the human body needed to start the day’s activities.
Every continent and culture have traditional breakfast egg dishes. Here are some of my favorites.
Cheesy kale and salami frittata – If you prefer to cook this dish on the stovetop from start to finish, once the underside has browned, slide on a plate, plate another plate on top, invert, slide back into the pan and cook until set. Get the recipe.
Eggs en cocotte with sausage and bacon ragu – Originally intended to be a fusion of shakshuka and eggs en cocotte, I decided in the end that I wanted meat for breakfast. Served with crusty bread (we had homebaked focaccia), this baked meat and egg dish makes a rather heavy breakfast. Get the recipe.
Egg in the basket – Also known as egg in the hole, egg in the basket is cooked by cutting a hole at the center of a bread slice, cracking an egg into the hole and cooking them in fat. Get the recipe.
A la Revuelto Gramajo – An iconic breakfast in Argentina and Uruguay, revuelto Gramajo is a dish of fried potatoes and ham tossed in beaten eggs. But its evolution has proved how adaptable it can be. Get the recipe.
Japanese egg sandwich – Mashed hard-boiled eggs, Japanese mayo, salt and pepper. Those are the only ingredients for making the filling. Get the recipe.
Bauernfrühstück (German farmer’s breakfast) – A German peasant food, bauernfrühstück is a dish of potatoes, meat (ham, bacon or sausages), eggs and onions. We like it with brioche. Get the recipe.
