Author Notes
This was a weekly staple at an amazing breakfast place near my college, so I recreated it when I graduated and moved away. The pesto-egg combination is inspired - the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. It's fantastic for brunch or dinner, and you can tweak it to your preference: the toast can be whole wheat or white bread, or, as in the original, English muffin; you can omit the bacon or replace it with turkey bacon, Canadian bacon or ham. My egg-poaching technique is from the Joy of Cooking. —LucyS
Ingredients
- For the pesto
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about 2 handfuls
fresh basil
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about 1/2 cups
olive oil
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pine nuts (optional)
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salt and pepper
- For the stacks
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2
fresh large eggs
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1
ripe tomato
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shredded parmesan cheese
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2 pieces
thick bacon
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2 pieces
bread or English muffin
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butter
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2 tablespoons
white vinegar
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1 teaspoon
salt
Directions
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If you are making your own pesto, blend the basil leaves and olive oil in a food processor. Add pine nuts if desired and salt and pepper to taste. You can also buy ready made pesto, but make sure it's good quality.
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Cook the bacon and set aside. Slice the tomato (at least one slice per stack). Crack each egg into a mug or small container (I use ramekins) without breaking the yolks. Bring 2-4 inches of water to a boil and add salt and vinegar. Reduce to barely simmering.
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Carefully slide each egg into the simmering water in one quick movement. Poach for about three minutes, until the white is set and the yolk is still runny. When the eggs are finished, remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to dry while you assemble the stacks. You can also put them in a bowl of warm water if you need to keep them for longer than a few minutes.
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Toast the bread or English muffin and butter the slices. Cut the bacon slices in half and put two halves, side by side, on each piece of toast. Put a tomato slice on the bacon, and top with the egg. Sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on the warm egg, then top with about a tablespoon of pesto and a bit more cheese (to taste). Serve immediately.
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