Learn about this recipe from our historic foodways staff, then try it at home
This is a delicious version of a hot egg salad. The key to success is to refrigerate the patties before they are fried. They are very delicate so turning them over should be done carefully. Serve them for brunch along with a salad.
18th Century
Boil eighteen eggs, separate the yolks and whites and cut them in dice, pour over them a sauce a-la-crème [recipe follows], add a little grated bread, mix all well together, and let it get cold: put in some salt and pepper, make them into cakes, cover them well on both sides with grated bread, let them stand an hour, and fry them a nice brown; dry them a little before the fire, and dish them while quite hot. Sauce a-la crème Put a quarter of a pound of butter with a large table spoonful of flour rubbed well into it, in a sauce pan, add some chopped parsley, a little onion, salt, pepper, nutmeg and a gill of cream; stir it over a fire until it begins to boil.
— Randolph, Mary. “The Virginia Housewife.” pg.101.
21st Century
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup grated bread crumbs
- ¼ lb. butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
- 1-2 green onions, minced
- ¼ fresh nutmeg, grated
- ½ cup cream
- Butter, lard or vegetable oil for frying
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Put the eggs in a large pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Take the pot off the heat, cover it, and let the eggs cook for 15 minutes off the burner. Cool the eggs under cold water and set aside.
- Combine the butter and flour in a saucepan over low heat and then stir in the onion, nutmeg and cream. Simmer the cream until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mince the eggs, then add in the sauce mixture along with a ¼ cup of bread crumbs. Stir the mixture until it holds together. Add more bread crumbs if necessary.
- Spread the remaining bread crumbs on a flat pan to use to coat the egg patties.
- Make 3-inch patties out of the egg mixture and bread them on both sides with the bread crumbs. When all of the mixture is used up, refrigerate the patties for at least an hour. Chilled patties will hold together better when you fry them.
- Fry the patties on both sides in a frying pan until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.