Toad in a hole. Spit in the ocean. One-eyed jack. Eggy in a basket. Gashouse eggs. All names for one delightfully simple treat: an egg fried into a piece of toast. Follow along this week as we recreate the breakfast mainstay made famous by Mary Jane's Pa. And Moonstruck. And V for Vendetta, Moons Over Miami, Friends, The Meddlers, Lucifer, and Frasier.

 

Ingredients

  • 400 ml water
  • Packet of instant yeast
  • 650g all purpose flour, divided
  • 50g sugar
  • 5g salt
  • 90g unsalted butter, divided
  • Plastic wrap
  • Parchment paper
  • A little oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Bacon fat
  • Eggs

 

Method

Bread

  1. In a bowl, combine 100 ml of warm (110°F) water with one packet of instant yeast and 325g of the all purpose flour along with 50g of sugar, 5g of salt, and 45g of unsalted butter at room temperature.
  2. Stir to combine before adding 300 ml of water and stirring to create a pancake batter like paste, and then add the remaining 325g of flour and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Turn out onto a counter top and knead for 7-9 minutes until a smooth supple dough forms.
  4. Generously oil a large bowl and place the dough inside. Roll the dough around a little to make sure it’s evenly coated in oil.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour until the dough has doubled in size.
  6. Turn out onto a lightly floured countertop and punch down until it’s back to its original size and then start forming into a loaf. Make sure to tuck it under itself to make sure it gets that nice loaf top.
  7. Place in a loaf pan that is coated with butter and parchment paper and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for one hour until it has doubled in size.
  8. Brush the loaf down with butter and place in a 400° oven for 25-35 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven and brush it down again with some more butter and let sit overnight.

Egg In The Nest

  1. Cut some thick slices of bread and use a glass to stamp out the center of the bread. Keep the center piece of bread for mopping up afterward.
  2. Heat a pan and melt 45g (or 1½ Tbsp) of butter. Place bread in the pan and make sure both sides are evenly coated before plopping down and letting it sit for about 2 minutes on medium low heat.
  3. Place a dollop of bacon fat inside the circle before cracking one egg into the center. Crank the heat up to medium high, and let sit for 1 minute before flipping the bread and egg.
  4. Cook for 10-15 seconds on other side while coating with salt and pepper for taste. Also be sure to place your bread center in the pan to quickly crisp it up on either side.
  5. Put on a plate and enjoy!