Dinner Tonight: Poached Egg and Bacon Sandwich + Roasted Za'atar Potatoes

"You can put bacon on a sandwich without anyone freaking out. But the moment your sandwich has an egg, boom, it's a breakfast sandwich." We wholeheartedly agree with Hazel, the wise-beyond-her-teenage-years protagonist from John Green's best-selling book, The Fault in Our Stars. Bacon already gets plenty of play in an acronymed lunchtime staple -- why should bacon have all the fun? Tonight, we bring you the BLT&E. Take it one step further and make a meal-bending version of breakfast potatoes. The potatoes call for homemade za'atar,  if you are strapped on time you can pick some up at your local middle eastern grocery store. So read the book (warning -- it's a tear-jerker), and immediately comfort yourself with this meal.

 

The Menu

Click through on the recipe photos or titles to see (and save and print) the full recipes, but we've also written you a handy grocery list and game plan below.

Poached Egg & Bacon Sandwich by Pipsplate

 

Roasted Potatoes with Homemade Za'atar and Aleppo Pepper by onetribegourmet

Grocery List

2 to 3 pounds assorted potatoes, cut up (red & purple organic fingerling potatoes & golden round Buttercream)
3 to 4 tablespoons za'atar (homemade see below for ingredients or store-bought)
2 tablespoons aleppo pepper
1 lemon, juiced 
2 fresh ciabatta rolls
4 pieces uncured bacon
2 handfuls curly endive, frisee or other bitter salad green
2 large eggs

Homemade Za'atar Recipe

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons sumac
1 tablespoon sea salt

We know you have a well-stocked pantry so you'll have olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, butter, and mayonnaise.

The Plan

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. If you are making your own za'atar, grind the spices in a coffee grinder for a finer texture.

2. Cut up the potatoes into bite-size pieces. Mix potatoes, za'aatar aleppo pepper, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl. 

3. Transfer to a baking dish for 40 to 50 minutes until potatoes are tender and golden brown.

4. While the potoatoes are baking away, take the ciabatta rolls, cut in half, butter and toast in a medium non-stick skillet.

5. Cook bacon in that same skillet until crispy. 

6. Make dressing for the greens, whisking olive oil, red wine, and mayonnaise together. Chop greens and toss with dressing. 

7. Now comes the most important part -- POACHING THE EGG.

Note: If you have your own method, go forth and poach. But if not, here are two: Fill a medium saute pan with about 2 inches of water and bring to a slow boil. When water is boiling, add one egg and poach. Keep the water to a low boil and, using a spoon, gently spoon hot water over the top of the egg to cook it. Cook each egg for about 1 minute for over-easy -- or try Amanda's 'Control Freak Approach'.

8. Place your perfectly-poached egg on top of the toasted ciabatta with bacon slices and dressed greens.

9. Generously dole out potatoes on the side. Egg yolk might dribble out of your sandwich, in that case, smear your potatoes in it.

Photos by James Ransom and Sarah Shatz.