Potato Crusted Prosciutto Eggs Florentine

Name: Potato Crusted Prosciutto Eggs Florentine
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil; 8 cups grated Idaho Russet Potatoes ((about 4 pounds)); 11 large eggs, (divided); 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, (finely grated); 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, (finely chopped); 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, (thinly sliced); 1 tablespoon garlic, (minced); 12 cups packed spinach leaves, (washed and dried); 1 cup Gruyère cheese, (grated); 4 ounces prosciutto, (thinly sliced); salt and freshly ground black pepper

March 3, 2019 By valentina 33 Comments

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Potato Crusted Prosciutto Eggs Florentine is one of those brunch recipes you will make again and again. It’s bursting with fresh flavors and is everything you love about breakfast food in one pan. And you can make it ahead!

Brunch happens all too rarely, and I think taking a break late morning to share a meal with people we care about is lovely and relaxing.

This is one of my all time favorite brunch recipes! I’ve made it for Mother’s Day, Easter, and just-for-fun brunches, and it’s always a huge hit.

What does Florentine mean when it comes to food?

Florentine, or à la Florentine, generally refers to a recipe that features spinach. A Florentine dish usually has a main ingredient such as fish, chicken or eggs, that is served on a bed of spinach.
Many people believe the name Florentine, or à la Florentine, comes from the Italian region of Florence. However, it is in fact French, and is only named after someone Italian — Catherine de’ Medici. She was the great-granddaughter of Florence’s Renaissance ruler, Lorenzo the Magnificent, and she married Henry II of France in 1533. It is said that she brought her Florentine cooks with her to Paris, along with spinach, which was one of her favorite vegetables.
On menus, eggs Florentine often refers to spinach as being a substitution for ham, in Eggs Benedict. (In this Potato Crusted Prosciutto Eggs Florentine recipe we’re using all of it.)

How to Make it

This is not a difficult recipe! I would classify it as a breakfast casserole, and it has four layers.

The first layer is made up of grated potatoes mixed with eggs, Parmesan cheese and fresh thyme.

The second layer is slices of prosciutto.

The third layer is sautéed spinach that’s been cooked with onion and garlic, and mixed with grated Gruyère cheese.

And the final layer is of course made up of the eggs.

Make-Ahead Brunch Recipes

Good news! You can make Potato-Crusted Prosciutto Eggs Florentine ahead. You would do everything the day before except the eggs, and about 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat the next day, you would crack the eggs on top and bake.

More delicious make-ahead brunch recipes:

You can also make individual portions of this breakfast casserole in a muffin pan.

When I made it for Mother’s Day, I used a heart-shaped muffin pan. So fun!

I hope you’ll think about inviting a few friends or family over for a casual brunch, and making this scrumptious Potato-Crusted Prosciutto Eggs Florentine.