Egg in the Middle

Preparation First stamp a circle from the center of each slice of bread with a 2-inch cookie cutter and reserve. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium heat, add the bread and reserved rounds ('hats') and fry until the undersides are lightly golden. Turn the bread over, adding more oil if necessary. Carefully break the eggs and ease them into the holes. (Sometimes I drain off a little of the white, but this is not a rule.) Reduce the heat and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are beginning to set, but are still soft. Using a spatula, transfer the slices of bread and eggs to a plate, with their hats over the yolks, and serve. Egg in the Middle, from How to Boil an Egg, all illustrations © Fiona Strickland, courtesy Phaidon Press

Preparation First stamp a circle from the center of each slice of bread with a 2-inch cookie cutter and reserve. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium heat, add the bread and reserved rounds ('hats') and fry until the undersides are lightly golden. Turn the bread over, adding more oil if necessary. Carefully break the eggs and ease them into the holes. (Sometimes I drain off a little of the white, but this is not a rule.) Reduce the heat and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are beginning to set, but are still soft. Using a spatula, transfer the slices of bread and eggs to a plate, with their hats over the yolks, and serve. Egg in the Middle, from How to Boil an Egg, all illustrations © Fiona Strickland, courtesy Phaidon Press