Baked Eggs with Mashed Potatoes & Leeks

There were a couple times when I was a kid that my brother Sean and I slept over at my grandparent's house. My Papa was a pretty no-nonsense type of guy who didn't talk much but was captivating in his own way. He would stump me with questions like, "what's the price of the rice in China?" and would take me to Baskin Robbins, with one nod letting us get two scoops(!) of ice cream on our cones.

One day Sean and I were obediently sitting in the kitchen watching as Papa fixed us breakfast. He started scrambling some eggs, making toast and everything was going along fine until he took out some leftover mashed potatoes and with two big PLOPS, spooned them right into the pan with our eggs and mixed it all together. We shot eachother a concerned glance but didn't dare question his wisdom, especially since this was the house where bologna was fried and pig's feet were consumed. To our delight, the potatoeggs were delicious...a taste sensation! These baked eggs are my homage to that breakfast so many years ago.

Baking is my favorite way to prepare eggs and a perfect brunch dish when guests are arriving as they go right in the oven without much fuss at all. I love the creamy leeks at the bottom and the faintest bit of cream on top enhances the silky smooth texture of the egg and potato. Anytime there are mashed potatoes left over, I encourage you to give this dish a shot.

For 2 servings:

• 1 leek, white and light green parts thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup mashed potatoes
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter two 4-ounce ramekins and set aside.

In a small skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks, season lightly with salt and pepper and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Divide the leeks between the ramekins. Spoon a 1/3 cup of mashed potatoes over the leeks in each ramekin and smooth the top. Crack an egg into each ramekin. Drizzle a teaspoon of cream over each egg and sprinkle with pepper.

Place the ramekins into a glass baking dish. Pour hot water into the dish until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the dish tightly with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the eggs have reached the desired consistency. Remove from the water, place on a plate and serve with toast for dipping.