Inspired by pizza Margherita
Pizza Margherita is a pizza from Naples that was named after Margherita of Savoy, queen consort of Umberto I. Story has it that she was tired of eating French food, as was fashionable in court. On a visit to Naples, she was served three kinds of pizza but only one — the simplest with white mozzarella, red tomato sauce and green basil — impressed her.
Eggs in lieu of pizza crust
I took the same combination of cheese, tomato and basil and substituted egg for the pizza crust. Grated Parmesan with stirred into scrambled eggs, poured into a pan where tomato slices had been heated with butter, olive oil and a little garlic, and basil was added when the eggs were half set.
The aroma is amazing. And the tartness of the tomatoes adds nuance to the otherwise one-dimensional flavor of beaten eggs that had merely been seasoned with salt and pepper.
Scrambled eggs a la Margherita
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic - chopped
- 1 tomato - halved then cut into slices
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan - you may use more but remember that it is a salty cheese so don't overdo it
- 1 small handful sweet basil leaves - how many leaves exactly depends on how large they are
- lemon pepper seasoning - to garnish
Instructions
- In a small frying pan, heat the butter and olive oil.
- Saute the garlic just until fragrant, about half a minute.
- Add the tomato slices and continue sauteeing just until softened, about half a minute.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs with the Parmesan.
- Lower the heat, pour the egg-cheese mixture into the pan and cook the eggs, stirring to create volume, for about ten to 15 seconds.
- Add the basil leaves and continue stirring just the until the eggs are set but still jiggly at the center (or cook longer for until the center is no longer wet).
- Slide your scrambled eggs a la Margherita to a plate, sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning and serve.
