Egghead Above the Rest

Open-Faced Toast with Butter-Fried Egg and Broiled Parmesan Crust

25 minutes

Serves 4

DinnerFrenchGluten-freeNut-freeShellfish-freeSoy-free

Herb's take

Inspired by the French tartine but with an Italian Parmesan punch, this dish makes eggs fit for a dinner party. You'll learn the art of broiling cheese to crispy perfection without overcooking your yolks, plus, a little butter science never hurts.

Ingredients

Yield

4 slices country-style bread, sliced 3/4-inch thick
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved
2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped

Instructions

01
Preheat your broiler with an oven rack 6 inches from the heat source.
02
Brush both sides of each bread slice with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden and just crisped.
03
Remove the bread. While hot, gently rub one side of each toast with the cut side of the garlic.
Herb says
The garlic melts into the hot bread like a flavor tattoo, subtle but unmistakable.
04
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When foamy, crack in 2 eggs and fry until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, about 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining butter and eggs.
05
Place a fried egg on each toast. Sprinkle each egg generously with Parmesan (about 3 tablespoons per tartine).
06
Return the loaded tartines to the baking sheet. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and crisp at the edges, watching carefully.
Herb says
Broiling melts and browns the cheese lightning-fast, don’t blink! This creates that addictive crispy Parmesan crust.
07
Transfer tartines to plates and immediately sprinkle with chives. Season with salt and cracked black pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Want your own recipe?

Toss me some ingredients in the Recipe Lab and I'll invent three recipes on the spot. Just for you.

HERB

Egghead Above the Rest

Ingredients

Instructions