Bacon and Egg Pie

Oh my...This would be terrific for any brunch but with all of the fat, great to soak any extra toddy left in your system after New Year's Eve... Serves 12

Photo by Penny de los Santos

INGREDIENTS

½ cup ketchup
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 9″ x 11″ sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed and chilled
20 eggs
1 tbsp. heavy cream
1 lb. sliced bacon, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400°. Whisk together ketchup and Worcestershire in a small bowl; set aside. Using a rolling pin, roll one sheet of puff pastry on a floured work surface to form an 11″ x 14″ rectangle; transfer to a 9″ x 12 ½″ baking pan and let excess hang over sides. Separate 1 of the eggs and place the egg yolk in a small bowl; stir in cream, and set egg wash aside. Place remaining egg white on top of pastry, crack the eggs and drop them on top of pastry, spacing them evenly apart, and sprinkle evenly with bacon; drizzle ketchup mixture evenly over eggs and bacon, and season with salt and pepper.

2. Fold dough hanging over the edge of the pan back over the ingredients and brush with some of the egg wash; roll second pastry sheet into a 10″ x 13″ rectangle and place on top of eggs and bacon, tucking edges into sides of pan. Cut 4 slits in the top of the pastry with a paring knife, and then brush completely with egg wash. Bake until golden brown and eggs and bacon are cooked through, about 1 hour; cut into squares to serve.

Spinach Salad with Fried Egg and Bacon

I guess Bitchy's on an egg and bacon kick.  At a restaurant on Hilton Head Island, I had a frisee salad with pork lardoons (bacon) and a easy over fried quails egg.  It was delicious.  This spinach salad is very similar.  Great for a Sunday breakfast or an easy dinner.

2 heaping cups torn bread (about 3/4-inch pieces) from a day-old rustic white loaf 
1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 
Kosher salt 
1 small clove garlic, mashed to a paste with a pinch of kosher salt 
1-1/2 Tbs. red wine vinegar; more as needed 
1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard 
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice 
6 slices bacon 
8 oz. baby spinach (about 8 cups), washed well and dried 
Freshly ground black pepper 
4 large eggs 

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Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
Put the bread on a rimmed baking sheet and toss lightly with 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Spread in an even layer and season lightly with salt. Bake until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, mustard, and lemon juice. Let sit for 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Taste the vinaigrette with a leaf of spinach and season to taste with salt and vinegar if needed. Set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil in a heavy-duty 12-inch skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Cook the bacon on both sides until brown and crisp, about 7 minutes. Leave the skillet on the stovetop and turn off the heat. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
Put the spinach and croutons in a large bowl. Gently toss the salad with just enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the salad among four serving plates.
Heat the bacon fat in the skillet over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the pan, season with salt and pepper, and fry sunny-side up or over-easy, 1 to 2 minutes total. Top each salad with an egg and season with salt and pepper. Tear each slice of bacon into 3 or 4 pieces and tuck them into the salads. Serve immediately and pass any remaining vinaigrette at the table.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 410; Fat (g): 33; Fat Calories (kcal): 290; Saturated Fat (g): 6; Protein (g): 13; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 21; Carbohydrates (g): 17; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 4; Sodium (mg): 820; Cholesterol (mg): 195; Fiber (g): 3;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 121 , pp. 15

December 13, 2012

Pasta Carbonara Frittata

Forget the calorie and fat count.  Just look the other way.  This sounds so yummy I'm going to make it for the next brunch I have.  Bacon, pasta, eggs, cheese, cream...just don't pay any attention to those ingredients...just it eat!  Once won't hurt...This is from Fine Cooking magazine, photo by Scott Phillips. 

For the frittata
kosher salt 
8 oz. (2 cups) dried penne 
9 large eggs 
1-1/2 oz. finely grated Pecorino Romano (about 1-1/2 cups using a rasp grater); more for serving 
1/2 cup heavy cream 
1 Tbs. olive oil 
6 oz. thick-cut bacon (about 4 slices), cut crosswise into 1/8-inch strips 
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (2/3 cup) 
6 medium fresh sage leaves, finely chopped 
Freshly ground black pepper 

For the salad
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar 
1 small head radicchio (6 oz.), halved and thinly sliced (about 3 cups) 
3 oz. (3 lightly packed cups) arugula 
2 Tbs. chopped shallot 
Flaky sea salt, such as maldon, and freshly ground black pepper 

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Make the frittataPosition a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.
Bring a 4-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk, then whisk in the pecorino and cream.
Heat the oil in a 10-inch, ovenproof, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the onion and sage and cook until the onion is translucent and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Add the pasta and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. Gently pour in the egg mixture. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Loosen the edges with a silicone spatula and slide the frittata onto a cutting board.

Make the saladWhisk together the oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Put the radicchio, arugula, and shallot in a large bowl and toss with just enough of the vinaigrette to coat. Season with 1/2 tsp. sea salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
Sprinkle more black pepper on the frittata. Slice and serve with additional pecorino and the salad.

make ahead tips

The pasta can be cooked 1 day ahead.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 390; Fat (g): 25; Fat Calories (kcal): 220; Saturated Fat (g): 9; Protein (g): 16; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 11; Carbohydrates (g): 25; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3; Sodium (mg): 550; Cholesterol (mg): 245; Fiber (g): 2;