If you are new to this blog, I translated Encarnación Pinedo's 1898 cookbook, El Cocinero Español (The Spanish Cook) and am attempting to get it published. In the meantime, I cook from it and post the attempts here on the 15th of the month. I also publish them on my other historical cooking blog, "Goode Eates", found here: https://historicalrecipes.blogspot.com
Today's recipe is on page 127, "Huevos con queso" or "Eggs with Cheese."
My Translation
Keeping in mind that she was cooking over fire; the idea of browning with a hot fire is equivalent to broiling in an oven.
My Redaction
Per serving:
butter
1 slice bread
1/4 to 1/3 cup shredded cheese
1 egg
ground pepper
ground nutmeg
 |
| The butter asked politely to be included. |
Melt butter in frying pan. Add slice of bread, sprinkle most of the shredded cheese on the bread, break open the egg, and gently let it sit on top of the cheese. Sprinkle the egg with the rest of the cheese and then with pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Set heat to low, cover the pan, let cook for 6 to 10 minutes or until egg is cooked almost to your liking. When the egg is nearly cooked, place pan under the broiler for a minute or two to finish melting the cheese and brown it a little.
My Notes
She didn't say to use butter on the pan, but I did anyway.
I used mozzarella cheese, although I think a stronger flavored cheese would be good, too.
I tried this twice. The first time the heat was 2 of 10, I did not cover the pan, and after nearly 45 minutes, the egg was not cooked and the bread was toasted too much. I put a lid on it and let it cook a few minutes more before broiling it. The result was an egg that was overcooked (I like runny yolks) and dry toast. Not exciting. My guest taster didn't realize that there were any spices on it, and I had trouble tasting them even though I knew they were there.
 |
| Build the bread stack in the pan. |
 |
| After about 30 minutes of cooking. The cheese melting but the egg is still uncooked. |
 |
| After cooking under the lid for about 10 minutes. Egg is cooked. |
 |
| Under the broiler for less than two minutes. |
 |
| Overcooked, in my opinion. |
The second time the heat was set a little higher, 4 of 10, and I covered the pan. After 8 minutes the egg was nearly done but the toast was burnt (ugh). I didn't broil it because I didn't want to cook the toast any further.
I also used more spices, but not too much.
What I got was an egg that was cooked just right and toast that was blackened on the bottom and not tasty. I could taste the spices, which I liked.
 |
| Attempt #2, after about 8 minutes cooked under the lid. |
 |
| Egg is just right. Toast is burnt. |
My conclusion: use the lower heat and cover the pan. No one wants to wait 45 minutes or more to eat their egg and toast.
So success? Almost but I'm not sure I can really count it as such yet. With a little practice I could get the timing just right and really enjoy it.
I think this would be a good meal to serve a crowd with these modifications: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F, use a cookie sheet and set up each serving on the sheet so you can cook a bunch at a time. You might not need to broil them but the broiler is right there if you do. While one batch is cooking, set up the next.
This also seems like a good camping recipe, since you get toast and an egg with one pan (and a lid!) and one cooking run.
