4 ways to cook eggs: from Italy to North Africa

A journey through different culinary cultures: Italy, France, North Africa And United States. Four different dishes, with a single common denominator: le egg:

• potato and provola omelette (Italy)
• eggs in cocotte (France)
• spicy Moroccan egg (Morocco)
• egg benedict (United States)

The egg they are very important for our diet even if they are often demonized for their amount of cholesterol. We certainly cannot forget the many benefits they bring thanks to the beneficial nutrients they are rich in, such as proteins, iron, zinc, phosphorus and vitamins. The important thing, as with any food, is to be moderate and not exceed the quantities. The eggs are ideal for those who are gluten or lactose intolerant and can be easily consumed by those who follow one vegetarian diet. It is also a very versatile food in the kitchen and lends itself to many preparations, from the simplest to the most elaborate.

Potato and provola omelette

Let's start fromItaly with a nice and tasty omelette made with potatoes and provola cheese. Provola is a string cheese typical of Southern Italy and is the main ingredient, together with potatoes, of this recipe with a very Southern flavour. It's a traditional dish which takes us back to a comfortable and familiar dimension. The ingredients we are going to use are very few, simple, but of selected quality:

• organic eggs,
• potatoes,
• try it,
• a sprig of parsley,
• salt,
• extra virgin olive oil.

After washing and peeling the potatoes, we cut them into cubes and fry them. In the meantime, mix the eggs in a bowl, season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes, cheese and eggs in a saucepan. Cook over low heat and halfway through cooking, after about three minutes, turn the omelette so that both sides are cooked evenly. When the omelette appears golden, turn off the heat, plate and serve, sprinkling with finely chopped raw parsley.

Eggs in Cocotte

There cocottes it's a small one ceramic container suitable for cooking in the oven, which we will use in static mode for this recipe that originates in the area French. Eggs in cocotte lend themselves to different preparations, there are multiple versions of this recipe created by our cousins from beyond the Alps: we can therefore create always different and new dishes! The classic version includes three simple ingredients:

• egg,
• cream,
• grated Parmesan cheese.

In our version we will use del prized truffle he was born in very old parmesan.

The procedure is quite simple: first we butter the cocotte, then we pour a little cream on the bottom, add the egg, finish with a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of very old parmesan. Finally, we place the cocotte in a pan half filled with boiling water. We bake it and when the egg white becomes white, firm and shiny our dish will be ready. We add the truffle flakes for an intense note of flavor and delicacy. In just about ten minutes we will have obtained a refined dish to be enjoyed!

Spicy Moroccan egg

We now move into North Africa for a dish finely flavored and seasoned to perfection. The main ingredients of this Moroccan dish super spicy I am:

• cherry tomatoes,
• harissa sauce,
• coriander,
• pepper,
• paprika,
• chickpeas

Harissa sauce is chili pepper based and is quite spicy; coriander, paprika and pepper add extra notes of flavor. It is a dish mostly suitable for structured palates and spice lovers!

It is prepared by frying a clove of garlic and a chopped onion in a pan, then adding the various spices that flavor everything. At a later time we incorporate the chickpeas and tomatoes to be cooked over a very gentle heat, you can add a little water if necessary. We gently break the eggs and let them cook the last three or four minutes of cooking. The dish is garnished with coriander and it is enjoyed hot.

Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict have American origins and are proposed for the breakfast or for the brunch. There are many variations, we are going to compose our dish as follows:

• poached eggs
• English muffins,
• crispy bacon,
• Homemade hollandaise sauce.

The bacon should simply be placed on a non-stick pan and cooked until it is nice and crispy. We cook our poached egg, that is, we pour it raw and shelled into boiling water for about three minutes and savor it alongside a typical English muffin. We serve the egg by placing it on the muffin, together with the crispy bacon and the Hollandaise sauce, which is quickly prepared by mixing mustard, salt, oil, lemon juice and egg yolk.