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Egg in a Nest

December 18, 2006 by Nicole 121 Comments

egg-in-a-nest.jpg

From Egg in a hole, Toad in a Hole and Eggy in a Basket to Hobo Eggs, it seems that everyone calls this breakfast treat by a different name. But from now on I will call it Egg in a Nest thanks to a comment left on my Flickr photo! An egg tucked into a piece of bread and fried? Prior to 2006, I had never heard of such a thing. The first time I saw it was not in a kitchen but inside a movie theater. Actually, it was in a kitchen in the movie. V for Vendetta to be exact. Of course I didn’t realize that it was something that people actually ate in the real world. It looked very odd and I couldn’t figure out how the egg got into the bread! Of course I feel pretty silly now because it’s so simple to make! Thanks to my friend Nicki for the tutorial!

The first time I made this, I used homemade bread and I was able to cut some nice thick slices of bread. The thicker the bread, the smaller the hole needs to be. You can cut the hole with a knife, a small glass, a biscuit cutter, or anything else that you find handy. Or you can just tear a hole out of the center with your hands. It’s up to you, it’s your breakfast! This time around, I used a biscuit cutter to make a fairly large hole because the bread wasn’t very thick. It worked perfectly. I buttered one side of the bread, placed the dry side down in a buttered cast iron skillet, cracked an egg into the hole, sprinkled with a little salt and a lot of freshly ground black pepper and let it sizzle away for a few minutes. From here you can do one of two things. When the egg starts to set, you can carefully flip the bread over and cook it to your liking. Or, you can pop the whole pan under the broiler for a minute or two. This time I chose the latter and it worked rather well. I think I’ll stick with the broiler method from now on!

It’s nice to start the day off with a smile so whether you’re cooking for the kids or just tired of another boring breakfast alone, fry up some Eggs in a Nest and have fun!

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Comments

  1. andie says

    January 11, 2007 at 10:03 pm

    we call them eggs in a basket, and it is easily one of my fav breakfasts!
    Reply
  2. kn says

    January 12, 2007 at 10:13 pm

    we call them framed eggs where i'm from - been eating these since i was a kid!
    Reply
  3. Doreen says

    February 10, 2007 at 3:20 pm

    I've been making this breakfast treat ever since I saw Olympia Dukakis making it in the movie "Moonstruck" for breakfast for Cher. Great romantic movie and gives you a peek about Italian family structure. In the movie, Olympia (who plays the mother) makes her eggs in a basket with Italian bread and puts red peppers on top. Deliciouso!
    Reply
  4. Sandy says

    February 13, 2007 at 5:28 pm

    You just took me back about 55 years when my Dad would cook breakfast for us - what wonderful memories. Thank you, I am really enjoying looking at your blog - love your pictures. Thanks again. Sandy
    Reply
  5. croque-choux says

    February 26, 2007 at 11:57 pm

    Wow, so glad I found your blog through (StumbleUpon)! Thanks for this easy and fun recipe- my little boy is going to love this :o)
    Reply
  6. Marlene says

    March 24, 2007 at 3:09 am

    These are bull's eye eggs!
    Reply
  7. Ralph says

    March 25, 2007 at 5:58 am

    They were always called egg in a hat in my family - the cur out hole was toasted on the side and placed on top of the egg for serving - thus the hat!
    Reply
  8. Lisa says

    September 2, 2007 at 9:47 pm

    My (Sicilian) mother used to call this "an egg in a frame." I always assumed it was an Italian thing. See how wrong one can be! In the movie "Moonstruck," which is one of my favorite movies, Rose fries strips of red peppers in the pan alongside the egg-bread. Those would be a yummy addition.
    Reply
  9. mary jane says

    September 15, 2007 at 1:33 pm

    Texas Toast!
    Reply
  10. Joe says

    September 20, 2007 at 11:54 pm

    My family calls this Frogs in a Pond. The cut out centers are toasted as well and dipped in tomato juice. Very quick and nutritious breakfast. The kids love it.
    Reply
  11. Kat says

    November 16, 2007 at 6:05 pm

    I just made this for breakfast and it was delicious! I thought I made my hole too small, because some of the egg overflowed over the bread and down one side, but it turned out perfect. I also did the broiler method. Thanks for the great and quick recipe!
    Reply
  12. Colleen says

    December 4, 2007 at 2:33 pm

    I first had these on a camping trip! Why not?! They were introduced to me as "One-Eyed Egyptian Sandwiches."
    Reply
  13. Nicole says

    December 4, 2007 at 3:27 pm

    One-Eyed Egyptian Sandwiches! That's the first time I've heard that one! It's unbelievable how many different names this dish has! Thanks for dropping by, Colleen :-)
    Reply
  14. rick says

    January 10, 2008 at 6:51 am

    They were always one-eyed egyptians in my family-we used a small glass to push down on the soft bread to make the hole, then fried the little circle along side the toast and egg. Always wondered about the name until about a month ago when, in an inspired flourish, I cut out a triangle instead of the circle and VOILA! a pyramid...... My wife's family called them one-eyed sailor sandwiches-and again used the juice glass to make the circle-the same explanation for the origin of the name applied...... They are a weekly breakfast treat.....and now don't seem so oddly named.
    Reply
  15. David says

    January 20, 2008 at 1:19 pm

    My Mom always made these for us, back in the 1950's. She said she got the name "One-eyed Egyptian" from a movie she'd seen as a kid, that she thought starred Douglas Fairbanks. That's the only name I've ever known them as. Nice photos. Thanks. Just had them for breakfast today!
    Reply
  16. Marla Rocks-Preston says

    April 4, 2008 at 3:40 pm

    Our family has only known these as "one-eyed Frenchman's". Was a term from my Dad, who knows where he got it from. He also had a name for an open faced tuna sandwich that he called "slumgullians". "One-eyed Frenchman's were great growing up an still great today. Passed on down to my 25 year old son, who also had fond memories of these breakfast eggs!
    Reply
  17. Kris says

    May 3, 2008 at 10:55 am

    Not all Mainers call them eggs in a nest, My step mom use to make them for me when I was a kid and she called them one eyed monsters.
    Reply
  18. sandi says

    June 28, 2008 at 7:52 am

    egg in a nest - my grandma made this for me back in the 50's. i thought she was the smartest cook in the world! a treasured memory i passed on to my kiddos.
    Reply
  19. Tammy Taliancich says

    July 22, 2008 at 8:37 pm

    The first time I saw this recipe was the movie with Cher - Moonstruck - her mother in the movie was cooking them for breakfast one morning.... I saw that - tried it on my own and it became a personal favorite! I came across your blog and saw this recipe and it really took me back! What a treat!
    Reply
  20. karen says

    August 26, 2008 at 12:26 pm

    It's so funny that everyone has their own name for this! My family calls it Sunshine Toast...we never discussed it but I always figured it was because the yolk looks like the sun. Very nice.
    Reply
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