Monachina eggs are a delicious and rich dish, to be served either as an appetizer or as a main course. This is a recipe from Campania, although its origins date back to French cuisine. The original recipe includes béchamel sauce, but in my family, this succulent preparation has always been made with ricotta; so today I will tell you about monachina eggs our way, without béchamel. They can be served hot or cold, they are delicious and also very easy to make. If you have any leftover yolk cream, have a look here for an easy and tasty use.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Fall, Winter and Spring
Ingredients
- 6 hard-boiled eggs
- 0.7 oz very soft butter
- 3.5 oz sheep ricotta (or cow)
- 4 tbsp grated table cheese
- to taste fine salt and ground pepper
- to taste breadcrumbs
- 2 medium whole eggs
- to taste vegetable oil for frying
Steps
1) Put the eggs in a saucepan and completely cover them with cold water. From the first boil, cook them for just 3 minutes, then turn off the heat, move the pot away from the burner and leave them in the hot water for another 10 minutes; finally, drain them immediately, let them cool for a few minutes, and then peel them without breaking them.
2) Cut them in half lengthwise, gently extract the hard yolks from the whites, and place them in a bowl along with the ricotta, cheese, and butter. Adjust with salt and pepper and mix until you get a well-blended, smooth, and compact mixture. If you want a softer cream, simply add a little more ricotta to the mixture.
3) Use a teaspoon to fill all the egg whites again, not exceeding (to avoid not being able to close the eggs later) and reassemble the eggs. You can also use a small piping bag for this operation. Then, place them on a plate, cover, and let them season for a few hours in the fridge or at room temperature if it’s not too hot.
4) After the time has passed, put some vegetable oil in a tall non-stick pan and heat it.
5) In two separate plates, place the breadcrumbs and the whole egg, slightly beaten with a fork.
6) Pass the reassembled eggs first in breadcrumbs, then in the egg, and again in breadcrumbs. Fry them one at a time, in boiling deep oil, for 2 or 3 minutes maximum. Drain them and place them on a plate with absorbent paper. Serve the monachina eggs with a rich and fresh mixed salad.
