Festive eggs in a nest

EGGS PERFECT ACTIVITY — Not only nutritious and tasty, this egg dish is fun for children to help create.

Order breakfast in France and you quickly understand why it is called petit dejeuner, which translates as “little lunch.” The petit part is particularly clear since the traditional French breakfast consists of steamy, milky café au lait or hot chocolate, and a buttery croissant or crusty bread that’s eaten with butter and jam. If you chose to add a cooked egg, the French way is to have it boiled, served standing upright in an eggcup from which you eat it directly out of the shell.

When I worked for a French company and commuted to Paris, I discovered a variety of other elegant, and even luxurious, ways that the French serve eggs at breakfast, if one insists. Bored with austere boiled eggs, and knowing that omelets are served only later in the day, at dejeuner or as a light dinner, one morning I asked for scrambled eggs. The hotel where the company put us up was so posh that what arrived was what American cookbooks call shirred eggs. Beaten with cream and very gently heated in melted butter in the top of a double boiler, these eggs slowly coagulate and form a golden, exquisitely moist, custard-like creation so rich it could be called a heart attack on a plate.

Hoping for something more healthful the next day, I tried oeufs en cocotte. Eggs nestled in a small, shallow dish and baked with a touch of butter, they tasted like very tender poached eggs. Intrigued, I asked how they were made and was honored, as a guest who complimented the chef often, to have him stop by the table and explain how to make these gently set eggs. He also suggested variations to make them even more alluring.

My favorite version combines eggs with toast and tomatoes for color, plus a sprinkling of zesty cheese that replaces the butter. Because grown-ups love them and children are fascinated to help make them, these eggs make a perfect holiday morning activity to share. Little ones can press the bread into the muffin tin while older kids shred the cheese and add the eggs.

Baked Eggs In A Nest

4 slices firm (not squishy soft) whole-wheat bread

4 large eggs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large plum tomato

4 Tbsp. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat 4 cups in a muffin tin with 3-inch cavities with cooking spray and set aside.

Cut the crusts off the bread, making each slice square. With a rolling pin, press the bread gently to flatten it slightly. Press the bread into the muffin cups, with the points sticking up. One at a time, break the eggs into a small bowl, then slip them into the bread cups. Sprinkle tops lightly with salt and pepper.

Cut four thin slices from the center of the tomato, reserving the rest for another use. Cover the yolk of each egg with a tomato slice. Sprinkle on the cheese.

Set the muffin tin on the oven rack. Fill empty muffin cavities halfway with water, which will ensure even baking. Bake for about 15 minutes, then begin checking eggs every minute or so until yolk is cooked through or the desired level of doneness is achieved.

Remove from the oven. Run a thin knife around the outside of each baked egg. Lift with forks or spoons and transfer to individual plates or small bowls. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 168 calories, 7 g. total fat (3 g. saturated fat), 15 g. carbohydrate, 11 g. protein, 2 g. dietary fiber, 219 mg. sodium.