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    How To Make Spicy Egg In The Hole With Harissa

    Dinner in 10 minutes. Maybe less.

    This recipe references other recipes because it's part of a series of three quick and easy dinner recipes with one grocery list and game plan. See the other recipes in the series here.

    This is an easy dish that serves two people — equally suited for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's spiced up with the addition of harissa and served alongside a spinach salad tossed with warm, bacon-laced dressing. The recipe uses the leftover bacon drippings from Recipe 1. Be sure to save the cut out bread rounds for RECIPE #3's potato chip breadcrumbs.

    Use something (A glass? a cookie cutter? whatever) to cut a hole in the middle of each bread slice. DON'T THROW AWAY THE CIRCLE!

    Put a tablespoon of butter in a medium-hot skillet. Nonstick if you have it.

    Add the bread.

    Carefully crack an egg into the whole. Let it cook for a minute, then dollop a little harissa into the white (try not to break the yolk) and cook until the white begins to set.

    Season with salt and pepper.

    Carefully flip it over, and cook for another minute or two so the white is set and the yolk is still a little runny.

    Next, make the salad: Put spinach and parsley in a large bowl.

    Make the dressing: Heat your reserved bacon fat (from Recipe 1) in a skillet, then whisk in 2 tsps red wine vinegar and 1/2 tspn Dijon mustard.

    Toss dressing with salad.

    Egg in the Hole with Harissa and Greens with Bacon Vinaigrette

    Recipe by Rebekah Peppler

    TIPS: Be sure to let the egg white set before flipping the egg in a hole over to the second side. This will ensure an evenly cooked — and more aesthetically pleasing — final dish. Also remember this recipe utilizes the leftover bacon fat from RECIPE #1 a warm, bacon vinaigrette. Save the bread rounds to use in RECIPE #3's breadcrumbs (the drier they are the easier they are to crumble so leave out at room temperature for a bit to stale before crumbling).

    MAKES 2 SERVINGS

    Prep Time: 5 minutes

    Total Time: 8 minutes

    INGREDIENTS

    Egg in the Hole

    2 thick whole-grain bread slices

    1 tablespoon unsalted butter

    2 large eggs

    1½ teaspoons harissa (or a few dashes of hot sauce), plus more for serving*

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Greens with Bacon Vinaigrette

    3 cups spinach

    ¼ bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

    2 tablespoons leftover bacon fat (reserved from Recipe 1, Orecchiette Carbonara with Hard Boiled Eggs)

    2 teaspoons red wine vinegar


    ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard


    Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    *If you're on a tight budget, skip the harissa and use hot sauce.

    PREPARATION

    1. Make the egg in the hole: Use a 2½- or 3- inch round cutter to cut a circle out of the middle of each bread slice. (Reserve the bread scraps/circles for the recipe 3's Potato Chip Breadcrumbs [URL].) Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Tip and tilt the pan to coat it and add the bread slices to the pan. Carefully crack an egg into each bread hole. Cook for 1 minute then dollop each egg with ¾ teaspoon of harissa (try to get the harissa in the whites without breaking the yolk) and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the toast is golden and the egg whites begin to set. Season with salt and pepper and use a spatula to carefully flip each bread slice over. Continue to cook until the egg whites are set but the yolk is still soft, 2 to 3 minutes more.

    2. Make the salad: Add the spinach and parsley to a large bowl. Add the reserved bacon fat to a small skillet set over medium heat. Heat until warmed through then quickly whisk in the red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper and pour the vinaigrette over the greens. Toss gently to coat and serve immediately with the eggs in the hole.

    Photographs by Izy Hossack