Individual cast iron pan baked eggs with beetroot, feta and thyme. Bake this dish in individual cast iron pans, and serve on a board straight to the table with plenty of toast for dunking.
2020 started well. I went out for brunch three times in the first week, and declared that if the rest of the year was to follow in a similar fashion then I’d be very happy!
However it’s now mid January, and the work:brunch ratio has swung back in work’s favour. Since creating recipes is part of my work, today I’m bringing brunch back to the table. This recipe is loosely based on of my New Years week of brunches. I’ve taken it from a butternut squash and sage affair to one celebrating the three types of beetroot and thyme.
The three types of beetroot are the regular deep red stuff, golden and candy stripped (Chioggia). Beetroot are usually season in the UK across mid summer, autumn and early to mid winter, but it’s particularly a great time of year to celebrate them now, with all their colour, when there isn’t much elsewhere. You can just about make out all three colours under the layer of eggs and feta.
I had to treat myself to an individual sized cast iron pan (affiliate link) to create this dish. Mine is 16.5cm diameter. It is something I know I will use time and again, and wish I could buy a whole set of these to serve up for breakfast on one of the retreats I am catering later this year. If you don’t have an individual sized cast iron pan, you could also make this in a small oven proof dish. You’ll need to adjust the cooking method to suit, just put it straight into the oven, rather than starting on the hob.
I served my baked eggs with toast and homemade Labne (a strained yoghurt cheese, typically found in the Middle East). I have made a video of how to make Labne, and I will be sharing it on Instagram as part of my #howtowithcerijoneschef series in the next week or so. I will post the link here when it is live.
Finally, before I share the recipe, just a quick reminder of my Seasonal Feast Cooking Class taking place in central London on Saturday 8th Feb. Fancy learning how to cook a colourful seasonal feast? Come and join me. There are currently 4 spaces left and you can find more info and book here.
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Individual cast iron pan baked eggs with beetroot, feta and thyme.
- 3 small beetroot, a mix of regular, golden and Chioggia
- 2 eggs
- 40g feta
- A few sprigs of thyme
- Olive oil
- Salt, Black pepper
- Optional – Zaatar to garnish
- Serve with sourdough toast and labne
- First roast your beetroot. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC (fan). Wrap each beetroot separately in silver foil (this prevents colour bleed), place on a tray and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, until the beetroot are soft enough for a knife to glide through. Leave the oven on. Leave them until they are cool enough to touch and then remove the peel – it should flake off or use a peeler. Slice in half and then into 3-4 wedges. Toss in a little olive oil and add a pinch of salt. Be careful to wash hands in between handling each beet to avoid colour bleed from the dark red one!
- Place your cast iron pan on the hob over a medium heat and warm for 2 minutes, then add a little oil to coat. Add the beetroot wedges, crack in your eggs, sprinkle over the feta and thyme and transfer to the oven (remember the handle will be V hot – use oven gloves).
- Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the whites of the eggs are just set and the feta is starting to brown. Remove from the oven, taking care with the hot pan, and finish with some cracked black pepper and a sprinkle of Zaatar if you like.
- Serve straight from the dish.
Excellent way to combine rustic vegetables and eggs with a middle Eastern twist