This satisfying egg dish—with its earthy flavors and rich pockets of ricotta—is a favorite of Aimee Olexy, chef at Talula’s Daily and Talula’s Garden, Philadelphia’s white-hot farm-to-table restaurants. “Bake the casserole while your guests are there,” she says.
“When you pull it out of the oven, all fluffy, hot, and steamy, it’s wonderful!”Read on for Olexy’s decadent casserole recipe!
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Serves: 4–6
Total Time: 50 minutes
Active Time: 35 minutes
Make Ahead: Toast nuts, mince onion, slice mushrooms, chop kale, beat eggs, and shred fontina; store in the fridge.
Ingredients
¼ cup pine nuts
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup minced onion
Sea salt
1½ lb. mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, oyster, and stemmed shiitake, sliced into ½” pieces
3 medium rosemary sprigs
2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
1 tsp thyme leaves
3 cups lightly packed kale, chopped
Freshly ground pepper
6 large eggs
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a 12″ castiron skillet, toast pine nuts over moderate heat, tossing, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer nuts to a plate.
3. In the same skillet, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt; cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Combine with mushrooms, rosemary, bay leaves, and thyme; cook over moderately high heat, stirring periodically, until mushrooms are browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in kale and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Discard rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Mix in pine nuts and season with salt and pepper.
4. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with ricotta, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Pour egg mixture over mushrooms; sprinkle fontina on top. Bake for about 15 minutes, until set. Serve straight from the skillet.
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