Cloud Eggs With Prosciutto Recipe
Make Cloud Eggs With Prosciutto Recipe: airy cheese-scallion egg clouds with crisp prosciutto on toasted sourdough. Impress for brunch.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons for toasting the bread, divided
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons (10 g) finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus 1 tablespoon (5 g) for optional garnish
- 1 tablespoon (3 g) finely minced fresh chives, plus 1 teaspoon (1 g) for optional garnish
- 4 thin slices (about 2 oz / 60 g) prosciutto
- 2 slices country or sourdough bread (about 2 oz / 60 g each), preferably 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) thick
- Optional: flaky sea salt, for serving
Instructions
Step 1: Separate the eggs and prepare the sheet
Gently separate each egg one at a time, letting the whites fall into a large, impeccably clean glass mixing bowl while keeping each yolk whole in its own small ramekin or on one side of a clean plate. Lightly brush a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment with a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil so the whipped whites won’t stick. Keep the reserved yolks covered and set the empty ramekins aside; any trace of yolk or grease will prevent the whites from whipping properly, so stay patient and careful. This is the moment the mise en place becomes utterly visual and calm.
Step 2: Whip the whites to medium-stiff peaks and season
Add 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt to the bowl of whites and beat with an electric hand mixer (or a vigorous balloon whisk) until the mixture is glossy and holds medium-stiff peaks—peaks that stand but curl lightly at the tip. You should be able to see a smooth, billowy structure with tight little air pockets and a satin sheen. Be warm and encouraging to the whites; they respond to gentle, confident motion.
Step 3: Fold in Parmesan and chives, shape the cloud nests
Very gently sprinkle the finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the minced chives and a grind of black pepper over the whipped whites. Using a rubber spatula, fold just until evenly distributed—think feather-light turns, 20–30 seconds—so the whipped texture remains lofty. Spoon the mixture into four equal mounds on the prepared parchment, shaping each into a nest with slightly higher sides and a shallow well in the center to cradle a yolk later. The nests should look pillowy, glossy, and sculpted.
Step 4: Par-bake the clouds; crisp the prosciutto and toast the bread
Transfer the baking sheet (on the marble surface) into a preheated environment and bake the whites until just set and beginning to take a very pale gold around the edges—dry on the surface but still soft inside. While they puff in the warmth, crisp the prosciutto into lacy shards and let it cool on a paper towel so it crisps further, and brush the bread slices with the remaining olive oil and toast them until deeply golden and crisp. Treat each component as a finished visual element: the prosciutto should be translucent-edged and crackly, the toast deeply bronzed with an open crumb.
Step 5: Nest the yolks, finish baking briefly, and plate warm
Carefully nest one reserved yolk into each cloud well, season with the remaining fine sea salt and a pinch of black pepper, then return to the heat just long enough for the yolks to set slightly at the edges while keeping the centers soft and glossy. To serve, break the crisp prosciutto into large shards and arrange them over two slices of toasted country bread placed on warming plates; gently lift two cloud eggs onto each toast or alongside it, and finish with the reserved grated Parmigiano, a scatter of minced chives, and a dusting of flaky sea salt and fresh black pepper. The final composition should be warm, slightly runny yolk meeting crisp toast and crackly prosciutto—pure contrast and comfort.
Notes
- Use room-temperature eggs for better whipping.
- Keep bowls and utensils completely grease-free to ensure whites whip properly.
- Store components separately if not serving immediately to preserve textures.
- Reheat gently in a low oven, not the microwave, to avoid rubbery whites.
- Substitute Pecorino Romano or gruyere for a different flavor profile.