Crispy Sweet Potato Egg Cups with Ham

Sweet potato has a reputation for being soft and sweet, so it can be a surprise to find it baking into a crisp, lacy cup. The trick is the grater. Shredded sweet potato has a lot of water tucked inside, and if you skip squeezing it out, the cups steam instead of crisping. Wrapping the shreds in a clean towel and pressing hard feels a little fussy, but it is the step that makes these hold together when you lift them out of the tin.

Sweet potatoes are one of those vegetables that keep well on the counter in a cool, dark spot, so it is worth buying a few extra for the next time you want a quick side. Their natural sugars also brown faster than white potato, which is why the edges turn golden so quickly. Keep an eye on the cups near the end of the first bake. A deep amber edge is good. Past that, they start to taste bitter.

Once the cups are out, let them rest a minute before you fill them. The egg mixture is thin, so it will spill over if the tin is wobbly. Filling each cup only about two thirds full leaves room for the eggs to puff a little without running onto the pan. Ham adds salt and a smoky note, so a good amount of black pepper is enough seasoning on its own.

These are lovely with a handful of greens on the side, or with a bowl of fruit if you want something bright at breakfast. If you are looking for something heartier, the Turkey Pie with Sweet Potato Topping shows the same vegetable doing a very different job. For a plainer side that goes with nearly anything, the Warm Fluffy Baked Sweet Potato is hard to beat.

Leftover cups keep in a covered container in the fridge for a couple of days. Reheat them in a low oven rather than the microwave so the bottoms stay crisp. They also travel well cold, which makes them a decent pick for a packed lunch or a quick snack when you are out the door.