Egg in a Hole

It doesn't get much more comforting than this quick and easy egg in a hole. Perfect any time of the day.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: British

Servings: to 2 servings

Calories: 470

Equipment

2- to 3-inch (5- to 8-cm) cookie or biscuit cutter

Ingredients

▢ 2 slices thickly cut white bread
▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more as needed
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar, (optional)
▢ Fleur de sel (coarse sea salt), for sprinkling

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C).
Make a 2-inch (or thereabouts) hole in the center of each slice of bread using a cookie or biscuit cutter, an overturned glass, or what have you.
In a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until it's bubbling but not yet brown. Add the bread and cook until golden brown, maybe 1 to 2 minutes. (Don’t forget to also toss in the little round cut-outs so you have something to dip into the runny yolk.) Flip the bread and carefully crack an egg into each hole. (There may be a little overflow of white onto the bread. As long as you’re not a perfectionist, this is fine.) Quickly sprinkle each slice of bread with 1 tablespoon brown sugar, if desired, being careful to avoid the egg.
Immediately transfer the skillet to the oven to bake. (Don’t try to flip the bread again.) Bake until the egg white sets but the yolk is still runny, 6 to 8 minutes. Begin to check your egg at 4 minutes if you fancy a really runny yolk, as a firm yolk ruins the pleasure of this simple dish.
Lightly sprinkle both bread and egg with fleur de sel. Your egg in a hole is best the moment it emerges from the oven.

Notes

Egg In A Hole Variation

Egg In A Brioche Hole

A fun variation on this would be to use brioche in place of white bread. I think it would taste amazing with the egg and butter. [Editor’s Note: Or challah.]

Savory Egg In A Hole

For a savory version, substitute 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan for the brown sugar and serve with a little dab of mustard on the side.

Stovetop Egg In A Hole

If you don’t care to let your egg out of sight, simply flip the bread, add the egg, and finish cooking it on your stovetop. This allows you to keep a watchful eye on the exact doneness of the egg in a hole.

Nutrition