Eggy in a Pesto Hole

Eggy in the Basket.  Toad in the Hole.  Egg Toast.  Call it what you will, this little egg and bread combo is a breakfast classic.  It instantly whisks me back to childhood memories of sitting on on my knees at a tall kitchen stool, peeping over the kitchen counter and helping punch holes into slices of bread.  Care Bears pajamas included.  Well, here the kiddy classic grows up a little bit into a slightly more debonaire delight.

Now everybody has had french toast.  Eggy bread grilled to perfection, topped with melted butter, maple syrup fruit and powdered sugar is a breakfast classic.   But have you ever tried pesto french toast?  One little tweak transforms that eggy bready goodness into a savory breakfast dish that is simply killer with scrambled eggs and goat cheese.  (Don't lie...you're gonna make that now.  And you should because it's delicious).  This recipe goes one step further by punching a hole in the middle and filling it with a delicious little eggy.  After all, they're great little friends.

The traditional egg in a hole grills the bread and egg in butter.  I add the pesto to the game by first giving the bread a quick dunk in a milk, egg and pesto mixture.  This does make the bread a bit flimsy and apt to break at the top, but this is easily remedied by reshaping the bread with a spatula once you add it to the pan.  The egg will glue any breaches in its borders back together and hold them fast.  Since the hubs and I like our eggs over medium, I've written my recipe to temp for this type of egg.  If you prefer your yolk cooked through, cut out the pre-toasting of the bread and add your egg right at the beginning.  If you like your egg sunny side up, pre-toast longer.  This is your eggy, after all.  Great for breakfast, lunch and dinner.


Eggy in a Pesto Hole (3 toasts - perfect for the hubs and I)

• 4 eggs
• 1/4  c milk
• 1 tbs pesto
• 3 slices whole wheat bread
• 1 tbs butter (optional)
• salt & pepper

In a pie pan, combine one egg with the milk and pesto.  Whisk together until well combined, then set aside.  Using a glass or cookie cutter, punch a hole into the center of each slice of bread and remove the centers.  

Place a flat grill pan over medium heat.  When the pan is hot, add the butter (if desired).  Dunk each piece of bread in the egg batter, coating both sides before transferring to the pan.  Let the bread pre-toast for 1 to 1/2 minutes before cracking the eggs into the holes.  Season as desired with salt and pepper.  Cook for an additional minute or so, then flip and cook until the egg feels set to your liking.  The goal is to end up with beautiful toasty bread and a nice, runny yolk.

Oh, and remember those little bread rounds?  Feel free to dunk and grill those up too...they're spectacular with a sliced tomato on top.