Biscuit’n’Egg Bake + Springtime Rush

It’s that wonderful time of year when the hens are laying eggs full swing and we’re eating them up at almost every meal. My Biscuit’n’Egg bake is swoonfully cream and delicious, and you can choose to add nearly any vegetables, meat, or cheese combinations that you like! (Printable Recipe at the bottom.)

First, will you indulge me this one scenic shot of our side meadow? This is the view out the window from my writing desk, and each season is has a new and wonderful phase of nature to inspire me. This week the blossoms fairly exploded on our apple and plum trees, and you may catch a glimpse of the potato patches down in the corner. So lovely!

Eggs bakes are great at anytime of year, but they seem to fit very well with spring because, well, it’s the season of bounty when it comes to eggs and cream! We don’t have any spring veggies ready in the garden yet, but a handful of chopped onion and a generous garnish of fresh basil from my windowsill is all that’s needed to brighten up the richness of this dish.

A basic butter biscuit crust…

Always use the best ingredients you can. With something as simple as biscuits, you can really experience the taste and texture of each ingredient. I’ve no homemade butter yet (it’s truly the best), but I always use real butter in biscuits, never shortening or margarine.

The biscuits are leavened with baking powder, which will give them a pillowy lightness, and seasoned with pink Himalayan salt. I love this salt because of it’s mild, earthy flavor. Any salt will do the trick, but my preference is for a milder salt with actual flavor rather than just saltiness. There is a whole world of salt experiences out there, but that’s another post…

I used a pastry cutter to cut in the cold butter, leaving chunks that were about almond size. Many recipes will have you working that butter in till it’s the size of “rice grains”, but as for me I still like some hunks and chunks of butter, for a rustic texture.

I always use whole milk to bring my dough together, and I need just enough to have the dough form a rough ball on the wooden spoon, but not enough to make it sticky to the touch. Don’t overwork the dough, it can look a bit shaggy but it will come together when you roll it out! Then, on to the filling!

Oh, what’s in a filling?

You can truly use whatever veggies, meats, or cheeses.

Salami, olives, onions and feta?

Bacon, green onions, red peppers and cheddar?

Sausage, zucchini, onion and Monterey?

I almost always go for onions, they never fail! This time I just sautéed my onion in a few tablespoons of butter, with about half a pound of ground pork sausage. So easy!

I use six eggs for this filling, but you can scale it up or down depending on the size pan you are using. For a typical size pie pan, 6 eggs should be just right.

Heavy cream, baby, this is where things get gooooooood! Yes, you can use half and half or whole milk as a substitute. But….but…CREAM!

Beat the eggs and cream together well, and I like to add a pinch of salt. Now that the fillings and crust are all made it’s time to assemble it all into a glorious, rustic pie-like masterpiece!

It’s all starting to come together…

I roll out my dough on a well floured surface with a rolling pin, but really you could just press it into a well buttered pan quite easily too. I love to leave the crust all lumpy and imperfect, it’s kind of an adventure to see how it will turn out. You can crimp the crust like a traditional pie, but remember that this dough will puff up considerably and you may lose the details.

The filling goes right onto the raw crust, and because the crust is not pre-baked at all, it will turn out with a delightfully gooey, dumpling-y, texture. Heavenly.

I dumped the the cooked onions, sausage, and a big handful of parmesan cheese on top of the eggs before cooking, then hit it with some fresh basil leaves just before serving.

I baked this one for about 28 minutes, but this will fluctuate some depending on your oven, and of course what size pan you are using. I like my eggs just barely set in the middle, with quite a lot of wiggle. If you like your eggs firmly cooked, leave it in the oven for few more minutes.

We had some fresh basil which was the perfect garnish, with a light, bright flavor! But of course, use whatever you like! (I’m already thinking about making one with eggplant and tarragon…)

Ok, enough talking, let’s eat!

It may seem like this dish is a little complicated to whip up for quick lunch, but like most things, it becomes so much easier and quicker with just a bit of practice. I’m getting frequent requests for repeats on this one, it’s that good.

If you give it a try, let me know how it goes! What vegetables did you use, or did you just skip the veggies and go for the cheese? (Gruyere, anyone?) Have you ever used a biscuit crust in place of a pie crust?

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