Grilled Egg in a Hat Breakfast Sandwich

When I was a child I used to love it when my mom made us Egg in a Hat  (or Egg in a Hole) for breakfast.  It was a real treat.  A lovely runny egg, cooked into a piece of golden brown buttery toast.  Oh boy was it ever yummy.

I’ve been thinking about that sandwich all week long and pondering how I could make it even better . .  . in a way that has never been done before.  I think I might have cracked it! (No pun intended! Seriously!)

As you know at the weekend I like to pull out the stops a bit and give Todd (my husband) a bit of a treat for breakfast on at least one of the mornings.  When I first moved over here we would pop into town and go to one of the shops and have a fry up at their cafe.  We haven’t done that in a long time now.

Grilled cheese sandwiches are something which we are quite fond of  . . .  we are also quite fond of bacon sandwiches . . .  a really rare treat . . .

Add to that a perfectly cooked large free range rspca approved egg with a runny yolk, cooked “in a hat” style  . . .  with that crisp buttery hat perched on top . . .

And I do believe you have a pretty darned near perfect breakfast sandwich! 

I did use a good whole wheat bread . . .  and I always use real butter . . .

 We like brown sauce with ours  . . .  some people like ketchup  . . . we are brown sauce people . . .

That egg was perfectly cooked  . . .  not too runny, but just enough of a gorgeous rich goo to sink your teeth into with pleasure  . . . 

Likewise the cheese  . . .  melted just perfectly  . . .  along with that salty bacon and that crisp buttery bread  . . .  which is kind of like fried bread when you really think about it.

It went down a real treat, let me tell you  . . .  a REAL treat!

Grilled Egg in a Hat Breakfast Sandwich

ingredients:

• 2 slices of your favourite bread (pick a sturdy one)
• 1 large free range egg
• salt and black pepper
• 4 slices of grilled streaky bacon, or two sliced of grilled back bacon
• 1  1/2 slices of strong cheddar cheese
• softened butter for spreading

instructions:How to cook Grilled Egg in a Hat Breakfast Sandwich

1. Make sure you have your bacon all grilled before you begin, and your cheese sliced. (I sometimes buy strong cheddar already cut in slices and that is what I used today.)
2. Butter one slice of bread on both sides and one slice of bread on one side only..  Cut a shape out of one that has been buttered on both sides with a cookie cutter.  Today I used a flower.  A heart is nice and so is a circle. Just go with your own inspiration.  
3. Place the piece of bread with the cut out into a large skillet, placed over moderate heat.  Drop a tiny knob of butter into the centre of it.  Crack your egg into the hole as soon as the butter begins to foam.  Cook until set on the bottom.  Add the cutout to the pan over on the side so that you can toast that also.  Flip the toast with the egg in the centre over and cook just until you have the egg done to your liking. (We like them a bit runny.)  Season to taste with some salt and black pepper.  Remove and keep warm for a few minutes, while put in the other piece of bread.  Flip over the cutout. (I hope you’ve been keeping an eye on it. If it is done, take it out and keep it warm)
4. Add the other slice of bread, buttered side down to the skillet.  Top with the cheese and then the bacon.  Finally pop on the egg bread, egg side down.  Cook and toast over moderate heat until the cheese melts and the sandwich is heated through. Pop that little toasty cut out on top and serve to one very lucky person.  We like brown sauce with ours.

I largely abstained from this myself  . . .  I don’t need the extra calories in all truth.  I did have a tiny nibble from the edge.  Todd didn’t mind.  He is used to eating food that has been sitting long enough to have photos taken of it, and nibbles missing.  LOL  Such is the life of the husband of a food writer!  Happy Mother’s Day to all you North American ladies out there!  I hope you are treated really special today.  You deserve it.

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The English Kitchen

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