Let me begin by saying I’ve no idea where the name originated, and there’s reasonable doubt that “gypsies” were ever involved. I will say that the style of cooking, either in a skillet over prolonged high heat, or oven-roasted in a similar fashion, has a quaint, country style to it that conjures images of simple folk cooking this dinner over a campfire. It is one of my favorite recipes for its easy form, versatility and incomparable flavor.
To make a 9 x 13 tray, you’ll need the following (as well as an oven pre-heated to 425′):
1.5 lbs baby red potatoes, quartered or cut into medium dice
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 medium bell peppers, 1 red and 1 green, diced
6-8 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
4 oz mushrooms (I prefer baby bellas), cleaned and sliced thin
1 lb tomato of your choice. I like to make a pan of the Best Roasted Tomatoes alongside of the main dish and offer them to whomever wants to add them in.
Olive oil
2 chicken breast halves, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
8 oz cheese of your choice (I like a medley of whatever’s in my drawer, swiss or cheddar or mozzarella. Gruyere would be great, too.)
6 eggs
6 english muffins, split and toasted
Seasonings:
Salt & Pepper, Chicken fajita seasoning
Assemble the first five ingredients (6, with tomatoes) in a 9×13 high-heat proof baking dish. Season with salt & pepper, chicken fajita seasoning (dash) and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake at 425′ for an hour.
30 minutes into bake-time, saute the chicken in a little olive oil with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne. A touch of fajita seasoning is good here, too. Be careful not to over-season, since we have a lot of flavor going on already.
50 minutes into bake-time, fry eggs over-easy with a little oil. Season to taste. Toast muffins.
Prior to finish, remove dish from oven, smother in cheese. Place back in oven to allow cheese to melt (about 2-3 minutes).
Serve a heaping scoop of potato hash in a bowl. Top with egg and cap with toasted muffin.
Serves 6.
SarahtheBaker 