Baked Eggs with Asparagus and Lemony Pea Pesto

Ingredients
olive oil for brushing
4 pasture-raised large eggs, room temperature
10-12 stalks asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup fresh or frozen and thawed green peas
1/4 cup mint or basil
1 tablespoon Terra Delyssa Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup raw sheep’s milk Pecorino Romano Cheese, shredded (optional)
red pepper flakes, optional
sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Lightly grease with olive oil two ramekins, two crocks, or two oven-safe bowls. Arrange the bite-sized pieces of asparagus into the bottom of the greased dishes. Place the dishes with just the asparagus into the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the pesto.

Pulse the garlic, peas, mint (or basil), lemon juice and zest, red pepper flakes, and cheese in the food processor. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until well combined. Season generously with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust your seasonings as necessary. Set aside.

Once the asparagus has roasted for 10 minutes, carefully remove the dishes from the oven. Make a bit of a well in the bottom, pushing the asparagus up the sides a little. Carefully crack two eggs into each dish, being careful not to break the yolk. Place the dishes back into the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. You are looking for the whites to be mostly set, but you want the yolks still soft and runny. Remember, because the cup/crock retains the heat, the eggs will continue to cook after you remove them from the oven, so it is best to undercook them slightly.

Remove the dishes from the oven, carefully. Top with about 1 tablespoon of the Lemony Pea Pesto and a little more grated cheese, if you’d like. Serve hot.