Sunday Brunch: Truffled Egg Toast

Posted by Ed Levine, October 28, 2007 at 7:00 AM

If there's a better egg sandwich than the truffled egg toast made at 'ino in Greenwich Village, I haven't found it. The soft, runny egg, the crunchy white toast, the tangy fontina chesse, and even the usually evil truffle oil combine to create an open-faced sandwich that is decadently rich and filling.

Truffled Egg Toast

- makes 4 toasts -

Adapted from Simple Italian Sandwiches: Recipes from America's Favorite Panini Bar by Jennifer and Jason Denton with Kathryn Kellinger

Ingredients

2 asparagus spears, woody stems removed
4 slices of bread, 1 inch thick
8 thin slices of Fontina (about 6 ounces)
8 large eggs
3 tablespoons truffle-infused oil
1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

1. Preheat a panini grill. Grill the asparagus spears for 2 minutes until they appear roasted but are still crunchy. Transfer to a cutting board and slice thinly on the diagonal. Set aside.

2. In a toaster oven, lightly toast the slices of bread. Transfer the toasts to a baking sheet. Use a serrated knife to score a 2-inch square in the center of the toasts. Use the handle end of the knife to tamp the squares down, creating indentations to contain the eggs. Cut each Fontina slice into 4 wide strips and form a border around the flattened centers of the bread (there should be no cheese overhang). Crack and separate each egg, sliding 2 yolks into the center of each slice of bread (the whites can be discarded or used for egg-white omelets).

3. Return the baking sheet to the toaster oven (or a conventional oven preheated to 350°F) and, using a high setting, toast until the cheese has melted and begins to bubble, about 3 minutes. (For those who fear an undercooked egg, cook the toasts for an additional 2 minutes until the yellows have set.)

4. Transfer the toasts to small serving plates, stir the yolks with the tip of the knife (they should be runny), and garnish with asparagus slices. Drizzle a generous amount of truffle oil over each and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

6 Comments | Tags: breakfast, brunch, eggs, Sunday Brunch, toast

6 Comments:

Sounds heavenly and something I must try. We recently purchased Truffle Salt from Dean & DeLuca. It's quite an indulgence. The truffle flavor is pronouced, earthy and musky. The first place I tried it: a Fried Egg. It's the perfect vehicle for the truffle salt to ride into my mouth. Got crazy with myself and sprinkled some on my lightly buttered whole grain toast as well.

chiff0nade at 9:07AM on 10/28/07

i absolutely love the dean and deluca truffle salt--it is the perfect match for eggs. also delicious sprinkled on pasta al pesto.

tudogostoso at 9:39AM on 10/28/07

Look, the sandwiches at 'ino generally (including the truffled egg toast) are enough to make you thank the kitchen before you leave. This little gem on Bedford has been feeding me and mine before almost any showing I've taken in at the Film Forum, or the Angelica, or just looking at furniture I'm goaling to afford at Moss. Formula for a good day: 1) speck or bresaola, a cheese, and arugula panino (or some such combo) at 'ino and, say, "Cercle Rouge" or "Taking of Pelham One Two Three" (restored prints, 'natch) at a nearby screen.

Sandro at 11:16AM on 10/28/07

Ed, you use the adjective "evil" about truffle oil. Please discuss.

Thanks---

lemons at 11:48AM on 10/28/07

This sandwich would make you grateful for being alive. So does the truffle salt and so does Pelham 123. But, Sandro, "goal" is not a verb.

annien at 4:54PM on 10/28/07

This is for lemons who asks why truffle oil is evil: I think that it is because there are really no truffles in truffle oil; it's completely synthetic.

For more info, see the NYT article on truffle oil at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/dining/16truf.html?_r=1&ref=dining&oref=slogin

midafternoonsnack at 5:30PM on 10/29/07

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