Twice a year at Easter and Thanksgiving I pay homage to my grandparents by making these delectable Stuffed Eggs. It’s not often that a recipe comes along that can elevate an already perfect recipe into a truly phenomenal one that you savor. But, this one fits the bill.

Growing up with amazing food at the holiday table is a privilege some may take for granted, but I knew I wanted to preserve this special dish forever. So, when I had the chance some 20 years ago to learn from my Vavó, I did. And I got more than I bargained for. My grandfather decided, as he often did, that he would need to impart his knowledge on the subject. So, there I was in my early 20’s crammed into my grandparents tiny galley kitchen learning step by step how to make one of my all time favorite holiday treats. They taught me how to easily shell a hard boiled egg, how to add the yolks to our family stuffing recipe and then how to stuff and fry up the eggs.

My grandparents passed away within a month from each other the year I was married in 2007. And so, the task of placing this cherished dish on the holiday table fell to me. Today, I will take you through that lesson step by step.

This is my basic Thanksgiving Stuffing cut in half.

To perfectly boil eggs: Place eggs in pot, cover with COLD water, bring to a boil. As soon as water comes to a full boil, cover pot and turn off heat. Keep covered for 15 minutes and drain.

To easily peel the eggs my grandfather showed me how to roll the egg gently cracking the shell and then letting it sit in cold water for a bit to allow water time to get under the thin membrane between the egg and the shell.

Cut the eggs lengthwise, like so.

Add egg yolks to the prepared stuffing. Set aside the egg whites.

Using a fork finely mash the yolks.

Using the same fork, incorporate the mashed yolks into the stuffing.

Yolks should be evenly distributed throughout the stuffing.

Using a heaping tablespoon, scoop stuffing.

Grab a white that was set aside.

Pile up the stuffing into the cut side of the egg.

With wet hands, mold the stuffing into the shape of an egg.

After filling each egg, set aside on a tray. You can continue to the next step if you are in a hurry. But, my best advice is to place this tray of these bad boys uncovered into the fridge for at least a half hour and up to 6 hours.

When you are ready to fry, add some eggs and water to a bowl and beat well with a fork. This creates an egg wash.

Place your stuffed egg into the egg wash.

Cover the egg completely in egg wash and let excess drip off.

Place a large high edged skillet over medium heat with vegetable oil. This is not the time to use olive oil. Fry eggs in skillet in batches being sure not to over crowd. Turn every couple of minutes to ensure a deep browning all the way around your eggs.

Drain on paper towels.

Once drained, pile up on a tray and serve either hot or at room temperature.

Stuffed Eggs Recipe:

• 1/2 recipe Thanksgiving Stuffing, uncooked
• 1 dozen eggs, hard boiled
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup vegetable oil, divided

Instructions:

1. Cut hard boiled eggs length wise and add yolks to prepared uncooked stuffing and set whites aside.
2. Mash egg yolks and incorporate with the uncooked stuffing evenly distributing the yolks throughout the stuffing.
3. Using a heaping tablespoon add stuffing to each egg white. Using wet hands, mold stuffing onto the egg white and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place tray of eggs in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 6 hours.
4. In a small bowl beat em3 raw eggs and water together.
5. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat.
6. Add each prepared egg to egg wash and allow excess to drip off. Add each egg to the heated oil gently in two batches being sure not to crowd. Also be aware of splattering oil and take care not to get splattered using an oven mit.
7. Turn eggs every couple of minutes being sure to allow good browning on all sides of egg. When egg is completely browned all the way around (about 10 minutes), remove to drain on paper towels.
8. Add more vegetable oil to skillet and repeat until done.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!