Brunch Hash Egg Bake

The seder was Saturday and it was, as it has been for four years, beautiful and incomplete. Twelve people. Sophie's matzo balls. Ethan's four questions. David's carving. Hannah, four, participating for the first time in a meaningful way — she sat at the table and ate the matzo and dipped the parsley and asked, in a four-year-old's voice, "Why are we doing this, Bubbe?" I said, "Because we remember. We were slaves. We were freed. We remember so we never forget." She said, "What do we remember?" I said, "Everything. We remember everything." She accepted this. Four-year-olds accept enormous truths with the ease of people who have not yet learned to doubt.

I brought Marvin the Passover food on Sunday. Brisket, matzo, charoset, matzo ball soup. He ate. He did not speak. I said the blessings. The room was quiet. The food was the conversation. The conversation was sufficient.

The morning after I brought Marvin his food, I made this egg bake for whoever was left at the house — Sophie, Hannah, the quiet that follows a seder. Eggs have always been part of our Passover table, the beitzah on the seder plate, symbol of mourning and renewal at once, and this dish carries that same duality: simple, filling, asked to hold more than it looks like it can. I have made it every year since, the Sunday after, when the house still smells like brisket and candle wax and someone always wanders in wondering if there’s more food. There always is.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 package (20 oz) refrigerated shredded hash brown potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup diced cooked ham or turkey (optional)
6 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or dairy-free cheese
1 tablespoon fresh chives or parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Prepare the hash base. Toss the shredded hash brown potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly into the prepared baking dish and press into a firm, even layer.
Par-bake the crust. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the edges begin to crisp and the potatoes are set.
Add the vegetables. Scatter the diced onion, red pepper, green pepper, and ham (if using) evenly over the par-baked potato layer.
Whisk and pour the eggs. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until smooth. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the vegetable and hash brown layer.
Top with cheese. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly across the top.
Bake until set. Return to the oven and bake 18—22 minutes, until the eggs are fully set in the center and the cheese is lightly golden.
Rest and serve. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Garnish with fresh chives or parsley and serve warm directly from the baking dish.

Nutrition (per serving)

Brunch Hash Egg Bake — The Food That Speaks When Words Cannot