Egg

Savory Breakfast "Oatsotto" with An Egg

by:
August 10, 2019
5
1 Ratings
Savory Breakfast "Oatsotto" with An Egg
Photo by Rocky Luten
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 40 minutes
  • Serves 1
Author Notes

Mom was kind of a health nut and as a consequence, to this day I can't stomach sweet stuff first thing in the a.m. other than the occasional melon, mango or banana. As evidenced by the myriad savory porridge recipes out there I'm not alone. My way to get around the cinnamon apple school of thought is to make this oat dish with freshly grated Parmesan and a 6 minute egg. It is loaded with protein to get me through the day, and melted Parmesan and a runny egg make it creamy as sin. Herb flavored oils add a hint of sophistication when I have them on hand. A finely ground Chile is a must for me but is utterly optional for the spice challenged. —DoubleNegative

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • "Oatsotto"
  • 1/3 cup Steel Cut Oats
  • 1 + 1/4 cups Milk
  • 3 pinches Kosher Salt
  • 1 Egg, soft boiled
  • Garnish
  • 2 tablespoons Freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 teaspoon Finely Ground Chile
  • 1 tablespoon Chopped Herbs, cilantro, dill, chives, etc
  • 1 teaspoon Seeds, such as sesame, kolangi or pepitas
  • 1 teaspoon Flavored Oils, Rosemary, Chile, Garlic
Directions
  1. Bring Milk to a near boil, add Salt, then Oats. Whisk often to avoid burning the milk. Turn heat to low setting, cover loosely and simmer for about a half hour, or until Oats are soft and creamy but not wet. Check and stir frequently, scraping the bottom to see that the Oats are not burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  2. While Oats are cooking grate the Parmesan and prep the Herbs if using.
  3. When Oats are almost finished cooking, soft boil an Egg. Here at sea level a 6 minute boil gives me a perfectly cooked white and a runny yolk to add extra creaminess to the dish. Drain, run under cold water and peel egg.
  4. When Oats are finished stir in Parmesan. Sprinkle in ground Chile and fresh Herbs, if using, and mix. Slice Egg in half and allow yolk to run over the oats, sprinkle on a few more herbs, salt and pepper (or more Chile) and seeds. Drizzle with your favorite flavored oil.
  5. Notes: Some mornings this gets reduced to Oats, Chile, Parmesan and an Egg (still good), but the complexity of herbs, seeds and oils really elevate this dish. Usually it is just whatever combo of seeds and herbs and oils I happen to have on hand. When I don't have time to babysit the oats as they cook, I use half water, which helps keep the milk from burning on the bottom of the pot. Or substitute water and cook in the instant pot (milk can separate under pressure) using a pot in pot method. And honestly, this wouldn't be bad for an easy dinner or side dish either.
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  • AntoniaJames
    AntoniaJames
  • Claire
    Claire
  • DoubleNegative
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4 Reviews

AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames September 30, 2019
I'm making this for dinner! Fresh herbs from my garden, perhaps some feta instead of parm, or maybe that smidge of cotijo left from tacos last week. Can't wait. Stay tuned. ;o)
P.S. Thanks, Claire, for the heads up on the water vs milk issue. I was going to use our outstanding milked-today, delivered to my porch tomorrow milk from the local dairy (I see grazing the cows who give us our milk when I'm out riding my bike in Longmont), but I can see how that might be too rich.
 
DoubleNegative
DoubleNegative September 30, 2019
Awww, I'm honored, A.J. I hope it exceeds your expectations. Do let us know your thoughts. Cooking the oats with water (or stock) will definitely lighten the dish, while cooking with milk makes for a super creamy almost sweet finish. I originally developed the dish for the Best Creamy Breakfast contest, hence the milk. I often just make it in the IP with water and find it just as creamy and satisfying. Enjoy!
 
Claire
Claire September 28, 2019
Made this today using 1/2 water and 1/2 milk, TOO rich to my taste, esp with addition of parmesan. When one makes regular risotto, water is used, not milk, so only makes sense to use just water, because the texture of cooked oats is significantly thicker than cooked risotto made from rice. Next time, I'll def use only water.
 
Claire
Claire October 8, 2019
Made this three more times with water (and once with broth, just a smidge of the "Better than Bouillon") -- tastes SO much better, to my liking, at least!