Oeufs Cocotte (Baked Eggs) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, or to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped ham
2 tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese, divided
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh chives

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Boil water in a kettle.
Grease a small lidded casserole dish with olive oil. Distribute diced ham over the bottom and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Gruyere cheese. Pour cream on top and season with a little pepper.
Crack eggs into the casserole dish one at a time, making sure egg yolks remain intact. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon Gruyere cheese and fresh chives. Season with salt and pepper. Cover casserole dish and place into a roasting pan. Pour in enough boiling water so it reaches about halfway up the casserole dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 9 minutes with the lid on. Uncover and continue baking until the egg whites are just set but the yolks are still runny, 3 to 6 additional minutes.