If the classic eggs and bacon just aren’t cutting it, it’s time to try the Powerhouse AKA Egg-in-a-Hole AKA Egg in a Basket’s effortlessly awesome cousin: The Cheesy Egg Toast.
The name isn’t so thrilling, but the dish itself has much more of a wow factor than a same-old, same-old egg sandwich. Plus, you can bake them in the oven, so this meal practically cooks itself, and — wait, there’s more! — because you cook them in the oven, you can prepare a huge batch for a crowd and serve everyone a hot meal at once.
It’s the ideal brunch food, and it’s kind of a revelation: A meal that allows you to actually enjoy your guests’ company rather than scramble around the kitchen, shouting apologies as you worry that one person’s eggs are too cold, another’s might be rubbery, and dang it! You were so busy frying bacon that you forgot your roommate requested extra cheese.
Ah, sweet relief.
So here’s the deal: Use the back of a spoon to flatten the center of a slice of bread (the thicker the piece of bread, the better the “well” you can create in the center, but work with what you’ve got; we used super-thin wheat bread and everything was fine). Crack an egg on top, season with a little pepper, sprinkle with cheese, and bake at 450 for 3-5 minutes, depending on how runny you like the yolks to be.
It’s that simple. Honest. Just set up a pot of coffee, slice a bunch of fruit (who can say no to a little watermelon or cantaloupe?) and you’re all set.
Optional Cheesy Egg Toast toppings: Fresh cilantro, a drizzle of hot sauce or a dollop of salsa
- 4 slices bread
- 4 eggs
- Dash of pepper (optional)
- Shredded gouda cheese (or whatever flavor you prefer)
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. As it heats, use the back of a spoon to flatten the center of each slice of bread, creating a well for the egg to sit in. Set the slices on a baking sheet (preferably one with edges, in case any of the egg spills off the bread).
- Crack an egg on top, and garnish with a little black pepper for flavor (if you're into that sort of thing). Sprinkle shredded cheese along the edges, or all over if you really, really love cheese.