Gregory Peck Scrambled Eggs: 1 Creamy Ham and Chive Recipe From His Sunday Mornings

Gregory Peck scrambled eggs are the Old Hollywood brunch recipe everyone is talking about this week. The star of Roman Holiday and To Kill a Mockingbird called them his Sunday Morning Happy Pappy Eggs: soft, creamy eggs with butter, cream, chives and little cubes of baked ham. Peck had one funny rule for this breakfast, too: do not make it more than once a month. One bite and you will understand why he needed the rule..

The recipe made news on October 27, when Allrecipes shared it from The Sinatra Celebrity Cookbook, the star-filled collection put together by Barbara and Frank Sinatra. A version also appears in The All-American Cowboy Cookbook, where Peck lists cream or whole milk and names Tabasco as his hot sauce.

Peck kept the description simple. He called it a grown-up recipe and said it serves four adults. He also joked that eating it every week would send your cholesterol through the roof, which is why it stayed a once-a-month treat in his house.

If the name is new to you, Gregory Peck was one of the biggest movie stars of the 1950s and 1960s. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for playing Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, and he charmed audiences opposite Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. Off screen he was known as a warm family man, which makes a cozy Sunday breakfast recipe feel just right.

Below is our easy home version for four, written in our own words, with exact amounts, the low-and-slow method that keeps the eggs silky, and the bold sides Peck liked to pile next to them.

What makes Gregory Peck scrambled eggs so creamy

Three things set these eggs apart from a quick weekday scramble. First, there is cream in the eggs, which makes the curds soft and rich. Second, there is plenty of butter in the pan. Third, the ham is warmed in that butter first, so its salty, smoky flavor spreads through every bite. Fresh chives keep it from feeling heavy.

The method matters just as much. Cook the eggs over low heat and stir slowly, then take them off the heat while they still look a little wet. They keep cooking on the plate. If you love old Hollywood food, you might also enjoy Frank Sinatra’s favorite Italian dinners.

Ingredients for 4 people

• 8 large eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or whole milk for a lighter version)
• 3 tbsp butter
• 4 slices baked ham (about 4 oz), cut in small cubes
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, snipped, plus more to serve
• 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
• To serve: home-fried potatoes, salsa and hot pepper sauce

How to make Gregory Peck scrambled eggs

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add the cream, salt, pepper and half the chives, and whisk until no streaks of white remain.
2. Melt the butter in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
3. Add the ham cubes and warm them for 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges just start to brown.
4. Turn the heat to low and pour in the eggs. Let them sit for about 20 seconds.
5. Stir slowly with a spatula, pushing the eggs from the edges to the middle, for 4 to 6 minutes, until soft curds form.
6. Take the pan off the heat while the eggs still look slightly glossy. Sprinkle with the rest of the chives and serve right away.

Total time is about 15 minutes. The biggest mistake is high heat, which makes the eggs dry and rubbery. Low heat and patience are the whole secret to great Gregory Peck scrambled eggs.

Serve them the way Peck did

Peck did not stop at eggs. He suggested a big helping of home-fried potatoes, black-eyed peas, or chili and beans on the side. Then came his favorite part: heap salsa and hot pepper sauce on top, as hot as you can stand it. It sounds unusual, but the spicy salsa cuts through the rich, buttery eggs perfectly.

For easy home fries, dice 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes, boil them for 5 minutes, drain well and fry in a skillet with oil, onion, salt and paprika until crisp. You can boil the potatoes the night before, so Sunday morning is quick.

Make it a holiday brunch for a crowd

This recipe is perfect for the morning after Thanksgiving or for a slow Christmas brunch, especially with leftover holiday ham. To serve eight, double everything and use your biggest skillet, or cook two batches so the eggs stay soft. Keep the first batch warm on a plate covered with foil in a 200 F oven for no more than 10 minutes.

Scrambled eggs are best fresh, so do not make them the night before. Instead, cube the ham, snip the chives and prep the potatoes ahead. If you need something you can bake in advance, our overnight Christmas breakfast casseroles sit nicely next to a skillet of these eggs.

Easy swaps and quick answers

• No cream? Use whole milk, as the cowboy cookbook version allows. The eggs will be a little lighter.
• No ham? Try crumbled bacon, smoked turkey or sauteed mushrooms.
• Want cheese? Fold in a handful of sharp cheddar right at the end.
• Can I reheat them? Yes, gently in the microwave in short bursts, but they are much better fresh.

Would you try Gregory Peck scrambled eggs with salsa and hot sauce, or keep it simple with buttered toast? Tell us how you would serve them, and save this recipe for your next slow Sunday morning.