Egg-in-a-Nest Sandwich
An egg cooked in an egg-size hole cut out of butter-sizzled bread feels like a treat. But it’s not quite enough to make a meal. Here, the classic egg-in-a-nest merges with a grilled cheese and a breakfast sandwich into a meal for one that’s meant to be savored leisurely. It’s as delightful with coffee at the beginning of the day as it is in the middle for lunch, or ending it, whether at supper or at midnight. The bread slices — one cradling the egg, the other holding cheese — cook at the same time over relatively low heat so that they end up perfectly golden brown while the egg sets and the cheese melts. If you’d like a little heat, add hot sauce or any chile powder or flakes.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 1 person
Ingredients
- 2slices brioche, challah or sandwich bread
- Butter
- 1to 2 slices Cheddar or other cheese
- 1egg
- Salt and black pepper
- 1to 2 slices ham or cooked bacon (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Using a biscuit cutter or a glass, cut a 2-to-3-inch hole out of the center of one slice of bread.Step 2
Melt a pat of butter in a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the bread slices and swipe to soak up the butter. Cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes, then flip. Run a thin pat of butter on the skillet under the whole slice of bread and drop another little pat in the hole of the other slice.Step 3
Put the cheese on the whole slice and crack the egg into the hole. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the egg, then cover the skillet, leaving a small gap. Cook until the egg white is set but the yolk is still runny, 2 to 4 minutes. If the bottoms start to brown too much, turn down the heat.Step 4
If using, lay the ham or bacon over the cheese. Top the cheese slice with the egg slice, sunny side up, and eat immediately.