Eggy-in-a-Basket: A Recipe for Fresh Eggs

I met Foy while in Savannah, GA for graduate school. She's always amazed me with her knowledge of plants and horticulture, and she always brought something scrumptious and homemade to our many potluck dinners. I make a recipe very similar to this, it's especially great when camping. Try it with some cinnamon raisin bread for an awesome sweet/savory combo. Enjoy this post from Foy!

Eggy-in-a-Basket:  A Recipe for Fresh Eggs 

Eggy in a basket was a staple for our two years as Peace Corps Volunteers.  Jeff and I lived without electricity in a tiny rural village up on the continental divide in Panama.  This was our kitchen:

One of our chief luxuries was the stove and oven we ran off a 10 gallon tank of propane. 

While in Panama I learned how to bake simple bread, much like Miranda’s Onion and Herb Bread recipe.  We had neighbors who sold us eggs from their pollos de patio (patio chickens).   At least once a week, we’d make eggy-in-a-basket.  It is such a simple comfort food. 

Back in The States, we live in an apartment with no room for a bevie of backyard beauties like Miranda’s.  I found the next best thing, a country house along my way to work with a sign that reads, “Brown Eggs $2.50 a Doz.”  The yolks of these eggs sit high and pert and are a dark rich marigold color.  Fresh eggs are essential for good eggy-in-a-basket. 

I like my yolks a little runny while Jeff prefers them set but not opaque.  This is how I make eggy-in-a-basket for the two of us. 

I start with a couple thick slices of bread.  They don’t have to be homemade, but you can’t go wrong with fresh bread.

Then poke out the middles out of each slice.  You don’t want to break the ring.  That’s what’s going to keep the egg in place. 

Butter a large skillet with about a half tablespoon of butter.  I use a non-stick skillet, but I bet a cast iron skillet would be divine.  Place the bread in the skillet.  Put the centers you poked out of the bread in there too.  Then crack one egg into each bread ring. 

If you prefer your eggs over hard puncture the yolk.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper then cook the eggs over medium to low heat. 

Flip the eggies over once the albumin of the egg has started to turn solid white, should take one or two minutes.  Continue to let them cook for another minute or so.  I pull mine off the heat a little before Jeff’s because I like dipping the bread center into the soft yoke.  You can tell if the centers have set by prodding the middle.  If it jiggles it’s not set. 

Eggy-in-a-basket is delicious alone or make a meal out of it by adding some veggies.  We had ours with a side of Brussels sprouts pan roasted with onion and bacon.  If you want the recipe hop on over to my blog, Foy Update: Garden. Cook. Write. Repeat. 

I hope you will try eggy-in-a-basket.  They are a simple pleasure and I know you’ll like them.