Baked Egg Cups with Polenta and Broccoli Rabe

I come from a family of picky eaters (except for my dad, which is where I probably got my love of food), but the one thing that we all love are “dippy eggs”. The fancier term for these would be “over easy”. My mom makes the best dippy eggs ever. The whites are just translucent, and the yolk is warm but still runny.


Another way to get an egg cooked like this is by baking it. By baking the eggs, you can make several at a time so everyone can eat together. You can also add enough ingredients to the bowl to make a complete meal. This is especially great for brunch, and they stay warm until you can serve everyone.

I chose to layer polenta and broccoli raab in an oven-proof dish, press down on the center to make a little indentation in the greens, and then crack an egg into the middle. The polenta heats up and gets a little crisp around the edges, while the egg cooks. It’s the perfect “dipper” for your perfectly cooked egg!

Baked Egg Cups with Polenta and Broccoli Rabe
by Jennifer

serves 4

For Polenta:
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup medium grind cornmeal
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

For Broccoli Rabe:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced fine
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 large bunch broccoli rabe, large stems removed, chopped and rinsed, but not dried
salt and pepper to taste
4-8 Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs (1-2 per cup)

Heat oven to 450°F.

Make polenta: 

Bring water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add cornmeal to water in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Turn heat to low. Cook polenta for 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened but still soft, and cornmeal is cooked through. Stir in butter and cheese and adjust salt to taste.

While polenta is cooking, make broccoli rabe:

Heat oil in skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook onions until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Turn heat to medium and add broccoli rabe to pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss with onion, garlic, and red pepper mixture until wilted down, but still bright green, about 3 minutes.

Assemble cups:

Place about 1 cup of polenta into bottom of oven-safe dish, pushing up sides of dish about 1/2 inch. Place 1/4 of broccoli rabe mixture into each cup, pushing it to the inside of the edge of the polenta, leaving an indentation for the egg(s). Crack 1 or 2 eggs into the middle of each dish and place dishes on a jelly roll pan. Place in oven and cook 17-20 minutes, or until eggs are done to your liking.