Let me introduce you to a dish that combines the comfort of baked eggs with the beloved flavors of vodka sauce. This creative fusion transforms a classic pasta sauce into a luxurious brunch dish that’s perfect for lazy weekends or impressive entertaining.

Why This Recipe Works

After experimenting with various vodka sauce recipes, I’ve discovered that the combination of cream-enriched tomato sauce and perfectly baked eggs creates an irresistible dish. The vodka enhances the tomato flavors while creating a silky sauce that’s perfect for dipping crusty bread.

Understanding Your Components

1. Vodka Sauce Base: The foundation of this dish starts with a properly made vodka sauce. Vodka sauce, or “alla vodka,” is a rich, smooth Italian sauce that combines tomato paste, heavy cream, and a splash of vodka. While it might seem unusual to add vodka to a sauce, it serves an important culinary purpose – the alcohol helps release flavor compounds in the tomatoes that are only soluble in alcohol, not water or fat. It’s a decadent more-ish sauce that’s easy to make:
   • Heavy cream creates richness and balances acidity of the tomato paste
   • Vodka enhances flavors and creates silkiness. The alcohol will be cooked off leaving only the slight taste. If you cannot consume alcohol, please omit this completely.
   • Tomato paste provides body and depth
   • Chilli flakes add spiciness and cut through the richness of the cream and cheese. You can adjust the amount depending on your spice tolerance.
   • Fresh garlic and shallots build flavor foundation. You could swap out shallots for regular brown onion (half) but dice finely.
   • Parmesan adds umami and thickens sauce
2. The Eggs: Quality eggs are crucial as they’re the star of the dish. Baked eggs, also known as shirred eggs or oeufs en cocotte in French cuisine, is a method of preparing eggs by baking them in a ramekin or small dish until the whites are just set but the yolks remain luxuriously runny. This gentle cooking method produces eggs with a uniquely silky texture that’s different from poached or fried eggs:
   • Room temperature eggs cook more evenly but not an essential step
   • Fresh eggs hold their shape better
   • Consider size when determining cooking time
3. The Bread: Essential for soaking up the rich sauce. Any crusty white bread will be great, just toast them in olive oil until nice and crispy. Some options include:
   • Pane di casa
   • Cibatta
   • Turkish bread
   • Baguette
   • Sourdough
   • Rubbed with garlic for extra flavour
   • Toast in olive oil

Tips!

• Cook vodka until alcohol evaporates. We only want to keep the flavour
• Adjust seasoning for the sauce before adding eggs
• Keep sauce loose enough for eggs to poach in and the egg whites will slightly thicken the sauce.
• Create wells for eggs in sauce. Watch whites for doneness. Adjust cooking time to get desired egg runniness.

Storage and Reheating Guide

• Prepare vodka sauce up to 3 days ahead, keep refrigerated until use. Reheat in pan gently. Store leftover sauce separately
• Toast bread just before serving
• Eggs must be cooked fresh. Garnish with fresh herbs last minute

Remember, the key to success lies in properly cooked eggs and a well-balanced sauce. The eggs should be just set while the sauce remains rich and spoonable.

This creative brunch dish proves that sometimes breaking tradition leads to delicious results. Whether you’re hosting brunch or craving something special, these baked eggs alla vodka deliver both comfort and sophistication in every bite.

Ingredients

Vodka Sauce:
1 shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Chilli flakes, to taste
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream

4 eggs
Parmesan cheese, grated
Parsley, to garnish
Bread, sliced and toasted

Method

1. Vodka Sauce: In a pan over medium heat with olive oil, saute your shallot, garlic and chilli flakes. Add in the tomato paste and saute it with the aromatics for 1-2 minutes. Add in thh vodka and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Pour in the cream, mix well and heat through for another 2-3 minutes. Season to taste. You could also adjust the texture of your sauce with water (optional)
2. Make little wells inside your sauce and crack in your eggs. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until desired runniness.
3. Top with grated parmesan and parsley. Serve with toasted bread.