Simple Eggs and Ham - Tapas

By Harleygirl

These little eggs are teally tiny and delicate, but they're also quite rich, which means you don't need to eat too many to feel full. Because they are so small it can be difficult to crack them without breaking the yolk or getting shell in the pan, so a nice little trick is to use a small sharp knife to pierce the top of the shell and the membrane underneath before cracking the eggs open. That little bit of effort is well worth it for the pretty results.

Ingredients

• 1 . 2 large slices of serrano ham, shredded
• 2 . Olive oil
• 3 . 8 quail's eggs
• 4 . 1 1/2 ozs hard goat's cheese, finely grated
• 5 . A couple of sprigs of fresh thyme leaves picked
• 6 . Fresnly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Fry your ham over medium heat in your smallest pan with a lug of olive oil until crisp Crack your eggs unto a bowl while you are waiting for the ham to cook. When the ham looks crispy, add your eggs to the pan and fry them for a couple of minutes more, or until the whites turn opaque. Sprinkle the cheese into the middle and let it start to melt, then scatter over the thyme leaves and a pinch of freshly ground pepper, and tuck in.

P.S. If you wanted to make this with regular effs, in a larger pan it would work just as well. If you like your eggs cooked really well-done you could also finish this off under the broiler.