To be honest, most mornings as I spoon up my oatmeal or making a smoothie, what I really want is an egg—pasture-raised certainly, fried or scrambled and served between something bready—preferably homemade.
A meat product–bacon or sausage–brings a nice salty element, but is entirely optional and perhaps too much complexity on a work day. Cheese is nice, especially if there’s a knob of my favorite sharp cheddar needing to be used up..
The bread is really the defining factor.
Ideal Egg Sandwich: An Inventory
I still remember the New York City egg sandwiches I’d grab off the subway. Those came with fried eggs over hard, crispy on the edges on a buttered kaiser roll. They were warm, tender and greasy good.
In Portland, Pine State Biscuits serves vertical egg sandwich on a buttery biscuit. This is always a stellar choice, provided you have just made biscuits. So, it’s really only a weekend option.
Croissant egg sandwiches I’ve never liked, mostly because on the rare occasion you find a decent croissant, it’s best to relish it plain.
Bagels? Too much bread per bite and too much chewing.
If I had any homemade English muffins on-hand that would be my top choice. Toasted and buttered, they have a balance of crispiness and tenderness that’s just right or soaking up the yolk on an over-medium egg.
Thinking out of the box, could lead me to a sourdough waffle for the bready layer. Waffles make an egg sandwich even more special because they take the standard in a whole new direction, adding crunch and texture like a well-made pannini.
But on an ordinary work day, once the kids are off to school, I can settle into the simple steps to make myself one good egg sandwich–scrambled with cheese on toasted multigrain bread.
And sit alone at the breakfast table eating it with both hands. No distractions, no phone, no to-do lists. Just the quiet of a morning with nothing but possibility ahead.
I wish you the same.
Cheesy Scrambled Egg Sandwich
Timing is everything when making a weekday breakfast sandwich to go–or to eat in so that the toast and egg are ready at the same time. Substitute any other melting cheese for the sharp cheddar. And if you have an odd strip of bacon or piece of ham in the fridge, by all means, heat it up and add it to this sandwich.
- 2 slices whole wheat bread
- 1/2 teaspoon butter or reserved bacon fat
- 1 extra-large egg, beaten with a splash of water (pastured)
- pinch fine sea salt
- black pepper (optional)
- 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese
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Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and have a serving plate on hand. Put the bread in the toaster when the skillet has preheated.
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Add the fat to the skillet and tilt the skillet to coat the pan. Season the egg with the salt and the pepper, if you’d like. Pour the egg into the pan and let it set for about 10 seconds. Use a silicone spatula to gently stir the eggs, letting curds form before stirring again.
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When the egg is nearly set, add the cheese and stir. (If you prefer a drier scrambled egg, cook until completely set.) Turn off the heat but keep the skillet on the burner. Stir until the cheese is melted.
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When the toast is done, butter if you like, and top with the scrambled egg. Top with the other slice of bread and cut in half.
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