Baked Eggs with Beans and Greens

In a rare cooking success on a busy day this week, I realized ahead of time that I had some wilty, month-old, garden chard in my fridge that would work in this recipe. And some already cooked italian sausage in the freezer from I-don't-remember-when. And some fresh, leggy basil still reaching for the light inside my back door (most of which is a window).

I feel like that basil this time of year: every part of me reaching for the warmth and light, wan though it might be, basking in it before the true cold months set in.

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Baked Eggs with Beans and Greens

Source: New York Times Cooking
Serves 4-6

2 T olive oil
1/2 lb sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed (optional, or pre-cooked as in my case)
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 15-oz can chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt
2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes
4 c stemmed and packed roughly chopped greens such as spinach, kale, or Swiss chard
6 large eggs
black pepper
2 T mixed herbs, such as Italian parsley and basil, for garnish
1-2 T grated cheese, such as pecorino or Parmesan, for serving (optional, but very yummy)

Heat the oven to 375. Place olive oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet and warm over medium heat. If using the sausage, add it to the skillet and cook, breaking it up into bitesize pieces as you stir. Remove the sausage, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible, and set aside.

Cook the onion in the skillet until softened. Then add the beans and garlic, and stir, until the garlic is fragrant, just a minute or so. Sprinkle pan with salt. Add the tomatoes and sausage, then stir to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer, then gradually add the chopped greens, a handful at a time. Stir the greens in until wilted before adding another handful. Season with salt again.

Use a spoon to create a small divet in the sauce, then crack an egg into it. Repeat six times, then sprinkle each egg with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until the eggs are set to your desired firmness. (My kids don't like any gooeyness, so I left mine in for 20-25 minutes.) Scatter the herbs and cheese over the top, and let cool a minute or two before digging in.