Kale and Bacon Omelet Baked in a Bread Boule

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Kale is a trendy ingredient right now; I now see it used everyday on blogs I follow and anything calling for kale is pretty popular on Pinterest. I first tried (okay, heard of...) kale from Aarti on Food Network and we loved her massaged kale salad.

I'm no kale expert but I think some of the popularity stems from how hearty it is. It holds up better than spinach in soups, casseroles, and - in this case - baked egg dishes. It's also super healthy for you and pretty inexpensive to buy. My dogs, however, did not get the memo that kale is trendy - they refuse to eat it. Never thought I'd find something they wouldn't eat!

If you're not sure whether or not you like kale, this is a great recipe to try it in. I honestly think most would assume it's simply spinach once they taste it. Plus, you saute it in bacon grease before baking it - how bad can it taste?

We both really liked this dish. I especially loved the flavor of the sourdough bread alongside the egg mixture! You could easily switch out the ingredients but I stuck with (and enjoyed) the kale, bacon, parmesan combo.

Two notes:
*I normally bake my bacon but you really do want that grease to saute your onion and kale in so cook it stovetop this time.
*Mine took longer than 50 minutes to set so make sure you have extra time on hand just in case.

Kale and Bacon Omelet Baked in a Bread Boule
2-3 thick-cut slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
5 cups kale cleaned, stems removed, and chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs water or broth
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 cup ricotta cheese (part-skim is fine)
1 8-inch round sourdough bread boule

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray pan with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel to dry. Pour off all but 2 teaspoons of the fat. Alternatively, if you want to make a vegetarian version, skip the bacon and heat 2 teaspoons of canola oil over medium heat until shimmering.

Add the onion and cook until softened and golden, stirring often, about 4 to 6 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low, add half the greens, and toss until they begin to wilt, about 1 minute. Add the remaining greens and season well with salt and pepper. Add the water, decrease the heat to low, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are wilted and tender, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the greens to a large bowl, leaving any excess water in the skillet.

Meanwhile, prepare the bread boule. Slice off the very top of the bread and then remove the inside bread in chunks, leaving a shell. Reserve the bread for another use (croutons, bread crumbs, etc). Place the bread boule on the prepared baking sheet.

To the greens, add the eggs, 1/4 cup of the grated cheese, the reserved bacon, the red pepper flakes, and the Dijon mustard. Fold in the ricotta and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the filling into the bread boule and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes, and sprinkle with reserved cheese. Slice into wedges using a serrated knife, and serve.

Source: Pink Parsley