Eggs Baked on Grits with Bacon and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 6 strips bacon
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 cup quick cooking grits
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon finely sliced chives

Directions

1. Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 425 degrees. Warm a medium skillet over medium-high heat, then cook the bacon until the fat has cooked out and the strips are crisp. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.
2. Put the skillet back on the heat, add the onion, and cook until it starts to take on color, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped tomato and continue cooking until the tomato liquid has cooked down. Take the pan off the heat, then add salt and pepper to your taste.
3. In a separate pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the red pepper flakes and grits, cover, and cook, stirring from time to time, until the grits are done, 3 to 5 minutes. Take them off the heat and season with salt and pepper.
4. Coat a 9- by 13-inch pyrex dish with butter, then spread the grits into it. Spoon out a few shallow hollows across the top and divide the tomato mixture among them. Crack each egg onto a tomato-filled spot, add salt and pepper, and move the dish to the oven. Bake until the egg whites are set and the yolks remain runny, about 14 minutes. Finish with the chives.