Bacon and Eggs in a Bread Bowl - Panera Bread

• slices bacon↗2

  chopped

• onion1⁄2

  chopped

• spinach↗4

  thick stems removed, chopped

• eggs↗5

  large, lightly beaten

• ricotta cheese↗2⁄3

  part-skim

• parmesan cheese6

  grated

• oregano↗1⁄2

  dried

• salt↗1⁄2
• black pepper↗1⁄4

  ground

• cayenne pepper↗1

  pinch

• sourdough bread bowls2

  they recommend their own bowls

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2. 2

   2. Cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the fat.

3. 3

   3. Add the onion and cook until soft and golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the spinach, cover, and cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring spinach from bottom to top once or twice. Drain off any excess water and transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.

4. 4

   4. Add beaten eggs, bacon, ricotta, 3 tablespoons of Parmesan, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne to the bowl. Stir gently until combined.

5. 5

   5. Cut out the tops of both Panera Bread Sourdough Bread Bowls as if making jack-o’-lanterns out of pumpkins. Remove bread from inside, leaving about a 1/2-inch shell of crust. Save or freeze the bread, including the top crust, for another use, such as bread crumbs or croutons. Place bread bowls on prepared baking sheet.

6. 6

   6. Scrape filling into bread bowls and sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons of Parmesan.

7. 7

   7. Bake, without the top crust of bread, until filling is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Using a serrated knife, cut each bowl into 3 wedges, like a peace sign.

8. 8

   8. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

9. 9

   TIP: The pork bacon can be easily swapped with turkey bacon. Or for a vegetarian dish, skip the bacon and heat 1 teaspoon of oil in the skillet for sautéing the onion.