- Merrill
Some of the best mornings growing up were those when my sister and I awoke to the smell of egg sandwiches frying in butter. Although they go by many other names -- egg in the basket, egg-in-the-hole, bird's nest, to name a few -- in our house we called them "one-eyed sandwiches," and the technique originated with my grandfather; he was a total character, but other than making eggs, he didn't spend a whole lot of time in the kitchen.
I'm biased, to be sure, but there are a few small details that I think really make Grandpa's egg sandwiches better than all the other versions out there. The first is the use of white bread. (Believe me, I love grainy, wheaty bread as much as the next person, but for these sandwiches, white bread is the way to go.) Grandpa always preferred Pepperidge Farm, which has a bit of sweetness to it.
Another key step is toasting the bread before you fry it. This ensures that it's nice and crisp, which makes a nice counterpart to the salty, soft-cooked egg. Last but not least, Grandpa never threw away the little rounds of toast but instead fried them along with the sandwiches, and these then became little lids for the "eyes" at the end. My sister and I always saved these for last, as a final crisp, buttery treat. I'm guessing that any small people who happen to be at your house for breakfast will do the same.
One-Eyed Sandwiches
Serves 2
- 2 slices white bread
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 large eggs, preferably free-range and/or organic
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
63 Comments on One-Eyed Sandwiches:
i went to a sleepaway camp in the 1960's called "wellmet" on the ny/penn border near port jervis. we made this over a campfire and called it "rocky mountain toast". my children loved this special breakfast growing up, and other "wellmetites" that i run into also remember the rocky mountain toast as a fond memory of our sleepaway camp days. thanks for turning the community onto it!
My uncle taught me how to make this always called them "toad-in-the-hole". This is still a comfort food for me along with a good strong cup of sweet black tea. The little cut out circle gets fried in the butter too, but never makes it to the table. And yes, we have always used Pepperidge Farm bread which also makes the best BLTs.
When I was growing up they were referred to as One-Eyed Eggs.
This is a favorite at my house too! I have heard so many names for it: 'egg in the O' 'frog in a bucket' 'framed egg' and i've heard one about sunshine:)
My husband calls these "Toad in the Hole" and my first experience with them was just this past September when he finally convinced me to go camping at Assateague Island in Maryland. Crispy, buttery, eggy goodness cooked over the fire in the same cast iron pan in which we had just fried the bacon... Not sure the experience would be the same at home, without the slight smokiness from the wood fire, and the background noise of waves and wild ponies while breakfasting, though!
Thanks RaquelG, your description conjures up wonderful pictures of of an amazing time camping at Assateague Island. There is definitely something about food cooked outdoors, it has such a different taste. Washed down with a great cup of tea or coffee - who needs expensive cafes, when you have the great outdoors!
In both UK and Oz, Toad in the Hole is a batter cooked in a high temp oven with sausages inlaid into the batter.
I have loved reading all the different names that people give the same dish.
I first made these at camp...where they called them "Gold Mines" with the yolk being the prized gold :)
So fun! We love Toads in the Hole for breakfast - but stuck on the sprouted grain bread!
We call them "one-eyed jacks" at our house. My husband is stilled fooled by the little grilled rounds because he thinks they're sausage patties until he takes a bite!
My husband's kitchen repertoire consists of 3 items and this is one of them. His family calls them hole-in-ones. Love them with cheese or strawberry jam.
My kids call them "toady eggs" as "toad in the hole" is too much of a mouthful. Hugely popular at our house.
"Popeyes!" I learned to make them when sleeping over a friend's house. Her mom used the lid of the pepper shaker to cut the whole in the center of the bread and ensure a perfect circle. I like to grill one side of the bread right in the butter on the griddle, add a bit more butter, flip add egg and cook before flipping once more. Makes bread extra crispy and egg really fries on top. A classic in our house!
We called this an Egg in a Hat and it was a staple at birthday breakfasts. Love 'em
Frog In The Middle
Toad in the hole!
This is a favorite done on the bbq here in Oz. Bread is not toasted first, just cooked one side on the bbq, turned and then egg cracked into the hole. And of course the cut out circle is cooked on the bbq too for the ultimate dipping tool. These are especially popular with campers as they are such an easy, tasty snack for any time of the day.
Eye openers!
My friends in Englandf generally called this "toad in the hole," though the children of a friend in Camberwell simply called it "eggy bread," which is a good, straightforward name.
We called them "camp eggs" since we usually made them when we camped. Fry bacon in grandpa's cast iron skillet over the camp fire. Then eat bacon, while tossing in the bread and cracking the egg in it. Cook till hard, my mom and I can't stand runny eggs. When I make them today, I make Burre Noisette in the pan then toss in the bread and crack the egg.
Egyptian Eyeballs--his family's name for them--are my husband's specialty. They truly are a simple pleasure, and the reason I keep a loaf of Pepperidge Farm sandwich bread in the freezer. He favors a particular pink Depression-glass cordial glass to cut the hole just the right size for the egg.
Good idea with the cordial glass.
spit-in-the-eye
Our family calls these "eggs in a frame".
We call them cowboy eggs, sprinkle a little parmesan on the egg before your turn them...Get little taste.
Egg in the Basket of course!
We always call these "toad in the hole"
We have them often; my husband's father called them: "bull's eyes."
Another vote for "Rocky Mountain Eggs" or just "Rocky Mountains." Delicious with a bit of maple syrup!
They were Moon over Miami at my house - and are still a favorite breakfast of mine. Good with any bread, but best with a nice white that toasts up well. Never tried toasting the bread first - but I still save the "moon" to eat last!
We always called this a "one eyed egyptian". I wrote about it a while back on my blog:
http://www.lechefsblog.com/2010/01/16/one-eyed-egyptians-a-k-a-eggie-in-a-basket/
White bread! :(
I never had this sandwich growing up. But just recently a friend made me one and called it "frog in the pond"
You're the only one I've ever seen refer to these as eyes besides my own family. In my Dad's very limited repertoire, these were one-eyed pirates. There was always alot of me and my brother running about the kitchen with our eye patches of crunchy buttery bread, and woe be to the one who tried to steal the best part of the whole dish. Dad never toasted the bread as me and my brother have always preferred to have the yolks cooked until they are just set.
MAKACE1: I have no idea where "Gas House Eggs" came from. That was your grandmother's name for them and since she taught me how to make them, I certainly wasn't going to argue about the name. As a teenager, I looked through my mother's cookbook and saw a recipe for it under "Bird in a Nest". After I married your dad, your grandmother made these and since then have become a big hit with about everyone. Think I'll make some this weekend.:) Of course, we'll have more than one, with coffee, juice and bacon.
I had an uncle that after coming to the states from Italy and passing through NYC in the early 1930's he remained on the east coast somewhere within commuting distance to NYC. He owned a gas station and got the bright idea that he would start selling breakfast sandwiches to the morning commuters that were filling up. When I heard the name " gas house" sandwiches it made me wonder if that's how they got thier name. Apparently this was a popular thing to do and was quit lucritive at the time (before Mcwhatevers started popping up).
Ok. My mother and grandmother for some reason called them "Gas Houses". Don't ask me where that came from!:) All I know is that my mother makes the best and everytime I go to visit her, I have to have my Gas Houses and she has to make them. If I don't have my comfort home cooking Gas Houses from mom, made with lots of love, it's not a good visit.
"Egg in the Nest" was what Dad called this fare. Curiously, we only had in on the infrequent occasions when he cooked breakfast. It was not part of mom's repertoire. Unfortunately, not much was. (But that's a long story.)
My grandfather used to make these as well (Funny). Except he did a two egg sandwich and arranged the eggs so that when cut in two it went right down the middle of the two yolks and the goal was to let a little end up on the plate so you could (sop) it up with the sandwich as you were eating it. Ah, Sundays at my grandparents were wonderful times. Thanks for posting Merril. Oh, and we called them runny egg sandwiches! I know, not too appetizing of a name.
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoYou're very welcome. And hooray for cool, egg-making grandpas!
My mother called this "egg a la hollywood"...no idea why. My mother-in-law called this "Miss Frances eggs," which has something to do with the TV show Romper Room but I don't know wny...in any case it's always been a favorite with my kids.
Hobo eggs!
This just might be my Saturday afternoon lunch this weekend. I love fried egg sandwiches but have never made them this way.
Moon Over Miami! (That's what we called it!)
In Israel I was taught to call them "Egyptian Eyes"
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoThanks, everyone, for sharing your own wonderful names and techniques for this great standby!
"Bulls-eye eggs" in our house, and we're definitely with you on the circle.
I call it "Moonstruck Eggs" because I love the scene at the end of the movie "Moonstruck" where Olympia Dukakis is making these eggs for everyone for breakfast.
toad in the hole!
Thank you for posting this dish. We are in serious need of some new breakfast fare, and the kids are sure to love the whimsy of this treat. I,on the other hand, like its simplicity and lack of sugar coating! - S
We called these "Elephant Eyes" growing up... not to be confused with elephant ears! I think my family makes them exactly the same way--with white toast, and definitely with that buttery little round (the best part!).
This sounds like a yummy dinner for one (although between this and the excellent salt and pepper french toast I am now addicted to, I am going through loaves of bread every week for dinner--that won't end well). My sainted Grandpa's one contribution to "cuisine" is adding beer to scrambled eggs--and the less said about that the better...
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoHilarious, all around.
This has become a Saturday morning staple in my house-- a football game day tradition this time of year. Yum!
We love One-eyed sandwiches. Merrill, Dan has made these many a time for breakfast...and while cooking them he shares stories about your grandfather. Glad to see this is a family favorite!
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoI'm so glad to hear Dan makes them too! The CDM, Jr. legacy lives on...
We call this Rocky Mountain Toast . . .no idea where that name came from. After we flip the bread, we add a slice of cheese and cover the pan while the 2nd side cooks so the cheese melts. Yum. Never thougth to fry the round. Definitely doing that next time.
Mmm, egg in the hole is always a favorite. I always saved the crispy, buttery middle circle for last too. We called it "the cookie"!
My kids called this "egg in the middle" and it was always a special treat and comfort food.
Great story, Merrill! What a fun Grandpa. Toasting the bread first - why I have not done that? Btw: your family has great names for food - love it.
My grandmother called this "Birdie in the nest". We didn't toast the bread, we just fried it on both sides in the pan before cracking the egg in. What a throwback to childhood!
We neglected to toast the bread as well with our tradition, bird in the nest. But saving that little fried bread round to mop up any runny yolk for the end....yes, that was always the final and most satisfying bite! So glad you featured this recipe.
We were just talking about this Sunday! I was visiting my brother and his family in Florida, and when we were out to breakfast, my 12 year old niece told us that this is the only way she likes eggs, and proceeded to describe how to make it.
Love these! My cousin in London calls them "hide the egg in the bread" ... we always have them when we go for a visit, and I will def try the toasting first method next time!!!
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