Ciambella Rustica

For years, a big part of our Easter tradition has involved baked goods. We would make Easter bread, Italian rice pie (which Ava has since taken over and now claims as her own), fiadone cheese pockets, and pizza rustica—also known as pizza chena, or simply Easter ham pie.

Pizza rustica, as I prefer to call it, is a rustic pie made with eggs, various meats such as ham, salami, pepperoni, or mortadella, and cheese—provolone being my choice. I also like to add black olives, simply because I love them, and they complement this dish beautifully.

This year, I discovered an interesting variation called Ciambella Rustica, courtesy of Giovanni Siracusa. The concept and ingredients are basically the same, with the addition of flour and olive oil, which transforms it into more of a bread or savory cake. It can be baked in either a tube pan or a Bundt pan (cue My Big Fat Greek Wedding). I was intrigued and decided this was the recipe I would follow this year.

The process was wonderfully simple—everything mixed in one bowl, poured into the pan, and baked. The result had the same savory flavors as traditional pizza rustica, but with a more bread-like texture that was surprisingly complementary.

The beautiful part of traditions is the comfort of revisiting moments we love. Another wonderful part is allowing ourselves to update them—carrying the original meaning forward in a new and special way. This recipe does exactly that.

I realize I’m sharing this a bit late for Easter, but honestly, it’s a dish worth making any time of year. It’s far too delicious to enjoy just once.

To watch Giovanni Siracusa’s process and to get his recipe, click here.

Baked Eggs and Toast

A while back, I shared with you my recipe for Italian Eggs in a Basket. This is a classic dish which is made up of a hollowed roll that is served with a seasoned egg baked inside of it. Not long after I shared this recipe, I came across a similar recipe on one of those trendy 30 second recipe videos that are popular on social media. Instead of using a hollowed roll, you were to use slice of bread that was flattened in the middle. I gave it a try, and I liked it. I thought it would have been a fun and enjoyable breakfast for my kids as well…but I was wrong. For as much as we enjoy eating eggs in our house, fried eggs are not the usual standard. We’re a big scrambled and omelette family. Heck, sometimes I feel like I trick myself into thinking that I like fried eggs more than I actually do.. There are so many recipes today that incorporate fried eggs, such as pizza, burgers and even pasta…it’s easy to get caught up in the hype.

Instead of giving up on this recipe all together, I decided to just incorporate my method of making eggs to the recipe. I followed the same preparation steps, but instead of cracking an egg into the center of the bread, I poured my standard scrambled mixture of one egg, some parmesan cheese, chives, salt and pepper onto the bread, After 10 minutes in the oven, we were all enjoying a tasty and filling new breakfast treat. It has since become a breakfast standard in our house.

This recipe is incredibly easy to make, and you can adjust the egg batter to your liking. I would suggest to avoid adding too many heavy ingredients, as the toasted bread may fall apart. You could always serve the additional ingredients, such as vegetables or heavier breakfast meats, on the side. I would also suggest using a toaster oven as opposed to a standard oven, if possible, for one or two servings. The toaster oven will warm up much quicker with less power needed. If a standard oven is your only option, it’s totally fine. However, the toaster oven method will make things a bit easier for you for one or two servings.

Baked Eggs and Toast

Makes one serving

Step 1: Pre-heat your oven or toaster oven to 375˚. Take one piece of bread (white or wheat), lay it on a baking tray and flatten the center area with the back of a spoon or the palm of your hand. Lightly coat the edge of the bread with butter.

Step 2: Mix together one egg with your choice of omelette seasonings or spices. I prefer a teaspoon of parmesan cheese, a teaspoon of chives, and a dash of salt and pepper. Pour the egg batter into the center of the bread.

Step 3: Sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese around the buttered edge of the bread.

Step 4: Place the tray into the oven or toaster oven, bake for 10 minutes or until the egg batter has set.

Serve and enjoy!

Italian Eggs in a Basket

Eggs in a Basket has been a fun and popular breakfast item for many years. Quite a few versions of this meal exist, from the quick and easy Toad in the Hole* (using a juice glass to cut a hole in the center of toast, then frying an egg in the center of the hole), to lining a muffin tin with hash browns and bacon, then topping with a scrambled egg batter before baking.

In my version which I am about to share with you, we will be using dinner rolls that are hollowed out and baked with an egg poured inside. While this is also a very popular and common version of Eggs in a Basket, I’m adding a bit of an Italian spin to mine. Before cracking the egg into the hollowed roll, I add a slice of provolone cheese to the lining of the roll, then fill it with a tablespoon of bruschetta (home-made or jarred will work well). I also like to sprinkle some fresh herbs, salt and pepper on top of the basket for additional zing. These extra ingredients add a beautiful flavor and texture to an already classic dish. With springtime  finally in the air and Easter Sunday just a few days away, this dish will make for a great brunch item to serve to family and friends…and it’s just as easy to make a single serving for yourself during the week!

Italian Eggs in a Basket

The recipe is per serving. You can make as many, or as little as you wish!

The basic ingredients: eggs, bruschetta and dinner rolls.

Slice a small portion off of the top of the roll, then hollow out the roll. Keep the sliced top for dipping.

Line the rolls with sliced provolone cheese, then with a tablespoon of bruschetta (home made or store bought).

Gently crack an egg over the top of the roll. Top with salt, pepper and fresh herbs (basil or Italian seasoning work well). Place on a sprayed baking sheet.

Bake in a 375˚ oven for 25-30 minutes, until the eggs are set, or to preferred doneness. You can place under a broiler quickly for well done yolks.

Serve immediately.

Lightly toast the bread toppings for dipping. Enjoy!

*Note – there is also a British version of Toad in the Hole, which consists of sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding, served with vegetables and onion gravy. Maybe I’ll consider adding an Italian spin to that dish somewhere down the line….

Kale, Peppers and Eggs Sandwich

This recipe is by far not an original. In fact, its roots go back to one of the most traditional Italian-American classics, the peppers and eggs sandwich. There are a number of variations on this sandwich – my grandfather would often add hot dogs, and I’ve added shrimp or pancetta to mine.

This version takes a bit of a healthier route, with the addition of fresh kale. In true Italian-American style cooking, some of the measurements in this recipe are eyeballed. But with a dish like peppers and eggs, a little of this and some of that is always the perfect amount.

Kale, Peppers and Eggs Sandwich

Makes two fully packed sandwiches

1 green bell pepper, chopped
(you can learn more about my quick pepper slicing techniques by clicking here)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 yellow onion, chopped or grated
(you can learn more about my onion grating techniques by clicking here)
Olive oil
2 handfuls of fresh kale, chopped
4 large eggs
1 heaping teaspoon grated parmesan cheese (optional, but gives the egg a nice flavor)
Salt and pepper

Lightly coat the bottom of a pan on medium heat with olive oil. Add the garlic and onions, stir. Add the peppers, stir. Once the peppers are slightly softened and tender, add the kale. Season with salt and pepper. Add about a tablespoon of water to the pan, then cover the pan and lower the heat to medium-low. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.

In a bowl, scramble the eggs, parmesan cheese and a bit of salt and pepper. Once the kale has softened, give the peppers and kale one more stir to mix it together. Add the egg mixture, tilt the pan to make sure that the egg mixture is evenly distributed.

Once the eggs start to firm up, carefully flip everything in the pan with a spatula. Continue to flip and stir until the eggs are evenly cooked.

Serve the kale, peppers and eggs in a roll. I prefer adding a slice of provolone cheese. Enjoy!

Step 1. Stir together the garlic, onion and peppers in olive oil.

Step 2. Add the kale.

Step 3. Simmer until the kale softens.

Step 4. Add the egg mixture.

Step 5. Allow the egg mixture to cook and mix in with the veggies.

Step 6. Serve it up in a nice roll…add provolone cheese for extra zip!

Even my kids enjoyed it!