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    Home » Breakfast

    cacio e pepe fried "egg in a basket"

    5 from 4 votes
    Published by Rebecca Eisenberg ⁠— August 2, 2021 (updated September 2, 2021) — 7 Comments

    201 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links

    cacio e pepe fried eggs in a basket

    Whatever you call this egg-and-toast preparation — bull's eye, toad in a hole, egg in a basket, eggs in the basket, egg with a hat, etc. etc. — it gets a serious, simple upgrade inspired by cheesy, peppery cacio e pepe pasta.

    an overhead shot of cacio e pepe egg in a basket toasts on a sheet pan. two are on plates, and one is cut in half with a fork showing the yolk pouring out.

    This cacio e pepe "egg in a basket" recipe started with an idea I had for a very simple cacio e pepe fried egg. But, as I started testing different techniques and preparations, I realized a crucial flavor and texture was missing: carbs!

    Cacio e pepe is nothing without the pasta. And a cacio e pepe fried egg is nothing without toast.

    Naturally, I had to take it one step further and put the cacio e pepe egg inside the toast.

    And, omg, I'm never going back to plain eggs in a basket again. These are so good.

    Why this recipe works

    The cheese helps the bread crisp up and brown beautifully in the buttery skillet with lots of fresh cracked pepper. And the layer of crispy cheese helps hold the egg in place without sticking or making a mess.

    The thickness of the bread contains the egg in the center allowing it to cook slowly over low heat. So, unless the yolk breaks when you flip it, you get a perfectly set egg white and perfectly runny egg yolk every dang time.

    My favorite part, of course, is that it takes just a few minutes to make cacio e pepe eggs in a basket! They're just such a fun way to be a little bit fancy at breakfast time.

    • a slice of bread with an egg cooked through in the center sits in the center of a large cast iron pan
    • a slice of brown and crispy bread with an egg cooked through in the center sits in the center of a large cast iron pan

    how to make cacio e pepe eggs in a basket

    Making eggs in a basket with a cacio e pepe twist is super easy! Use low and slow heat so that the egg cooks through, but the bread doesn't burn.

    First, cut a hole in the center of a piece of bread. Then, melt butter over low heat in a cast iron or non-stick skillet. As soon as the butter melts, sprinkle a layer of finely grated pecorino romano cheese down in the pan — cover an area about as big as your piece of bread. Press the bread into the cheese, then crack an egg into the hole in the center of the bread.

    Then, season the egg with additional pepper. You don't need to add salt, because the cheese is super salty! Sprinkle another layer of cheese on top so that it has time to start melting before you need to flip the bread.

    Once the egg white has mostly set, flip your egg in a basket to brown the cheese on the other side of the bread. If you aren't sure if the egg white is set or not, try sliding a spatula under the toast. If the egg white is still pretty loose, it will "squish" together. If the egg white is set, the hole in the center shouldn't move too much when you try to slide your spatula under.

    Once you flip the egg in a basket, how long you cook it for depends on how done you want your yolk to be! It will likely still be runny after a minute or two. The best way to check is to gently press down on the egg in the hole — if it seems liquid inside, your yolk is still runny.

    Ingredient notes

    You only need a few simple ingredients to make cacio e pepe eggs in a basket.

    • Bread - I used a classic slice of plain white bread here, but you can use whatever bread you like. Just avoid anything with a large, open crumb and lots of air holes because that won't contain the egg and cheese as well.
    • Eggs - I used large eggs, but any egg will work as long as the hole in the bread is big enough to contain it.
    • Pecorino Romano cheese - This is the classic, traditional cacio e pepe cheese. It's a harder grated cheese than parmesan and takes a little longer to melt. I like it freshly grated. (See FAQ below for cheese swaps!)
    • Black pepper - I use freshly cracked black peppercorns.
    • Butter - Butter helps you get nice browning on the outside and brings a lot of flavor to the toast.
    • an overhead shot of two hands holding a fork and knife cutting into the center of a slice of toast. a small bit of yolk has oozed out.
    • an overhead shot of two hands holding a fork and knife cutting into the center of a slice of toast. the yolk is pouring out onto the plate.
    • an overhead shot of a fork and knife in the center of a piece of cacio e pepe egg in a basket fully cut in half with the yolk everywhere

    A few quick recipe notes

    • I use these round cutters to cut out the center of the bread. If you're just cooking for yourself, you can fold the bread in half and take bite out of the center. Otherwise, look for a cutter that's about 2½-3" across, it should take up most of the center of the bread with about ¼" at the top and bottom still connected.
    • A thin, flexible fish turner spatula is the best way to get your egg in a basket cleanly off your skillet without making a mess. (Read more about my favorite spatulas).
    • I tested these in a few different pans and the best experience, by far, was my well-seasoned 12" Lodge cast iron skillet. They actually worked so well in the cast iron that they actually helped season the pan and left it shinier and sleeker than it was when I started cooking.
    • If you don't have a well-seasoned cast iron pan, the next best pan to use would be a non stick one. Carbon steel would also work well, if you've got one. Avoid stainless steel pans, as the cheese tends to stick.
    • Let the pan heat up before you add the butter. You don't want the butter to brown!
    • Don't add too much salt to your egg. You might not even need any. The cheese has lots of salt in it, and it's very easy to over do it.
    • How much cheese you use is really up to you! I found a very thin layer was best — a thicker layer insulates the egg from the heat of the pan and slows down the cooking time. But if you want to use even twice as much cheese you can. It will work.
    a tower of cacio e pepe egg in a basket toasts cut in half, the insides all facing forward with yolks running down onto a wooden cutting board

    Cacio e pepe fried egg in toast recipe FAQ

    Can I use pre-grated or powdered Pecorino Romano?

    Yes! I tested this egg in a basket recipe with both.

    With the powdered Pecorino Romano you'll want a very very very thin layer in the pan — that stuff tends to have a much stronger flavor and be very salty.

    Both pre-grated and powdered cheese doesn't melt as well on top of the bread before you flip it so just be careful when you go to flip the bread that the cheese doesn't go flying everywhere.

    Can I use parmesan instead of Pecorino Romano?

    Sure! It's not traditional to cacio e pepe but there are lots of cacio e pepe recipes (including mine) that use a blend of parmesan and Pecorino cheeses. Again, you'll get the best melting experience grating it yourself, but pre-shredded or ground parmesan will work too.

    Can I use an artisan style bread to make an "eggs in a basket"?

    Yes, with reservations. An artisan style bread with larger holes in it won't do a great job containing the egg. It'll work, but it'll be a lot messier, especially when you need to flip it. I would recommend sticking with a bread that has a tighter crumb structure.

    Can I make this gluten free?

    Yep! You can definitely use your favorite gluten free bread to make cacio e pepe eggs in a basket.

    Will this work with vegan cheese?

    I haven't tested this so I don't know. If you do try it, please leave a comment below so I can update the post!

    Can I use oil instead of butter?

    This will work, but it won't taste as good and you might have a harder time getting an even browning on the bread.

    Butter adds a lot of flavor to the bread, giving it that distinctly "breakfast toast" vibe. It also has a lower smoke point than oil which means you'll be able to get the nice browning on both sides at a lower temperature without overcooking the egg in the center.

    an overhead shot of a cacio e pepe egg in a hole toast cut in half with the yolk pooling in the center of a white plate

    cacio e pepe fried "egg in the basket" (aka "toad in a hole")

    Rebecca Eisenberg
    Whatever you call this egg-and-toast preparation — bull's eye, toad in a hole, egg in the basket, etc. etc. — it gets a serious, simple upgrade inspired by cheesy, peppery cacio e pepe pasta.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved! Email
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 7 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American, French
    Servings 1 serving

    Equipment

    • Cast iron skillet
    • Flexible fish turner spatula
    • Microplane
    • Round cutters

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 slice white bread (or bread of your choosing)
    • 1 large egg
    • ⅛ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (.2 oz / 6 grams)
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 1 pinch salt (optional)
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    Instructions
     

    • Use a large round cutter to cut a circle out of the center of a slice of bread. Grate cheese onto a bowl or plate. Set both aside.
    • Heat cast iron skillet over low-medium heat. Reduce heat to low, then melt butter in the center of the pan. Add pepper and stir until it starts to fizz.
    • Sprinkle half of the cheese in a thin layer about the size of your slice of bread in the bottom of the skillet.
    • When the cheese bubbles and melts, press the bread down into the skillet.
    • Crack the egg into the hole in the center of the toast. Sprinkle with additional pepper and pinch of salt, then add remaining cheese on top of the bread and egg.
    • Cook 2-3 minutes over low heat until the egg white is mostly opaque and set (it will sink slightly) and the bread doesn't squish when you try to slide a spatula under it.
    • Flip toast, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until egg white is no longer jiggly and yolk is cooked to desired doneness. For a firmer egg yolk, cook for 2-3 minutes after flipping.
      A thermometer inserted into the egg white should read 145°-155°F.
    • Serve hot!

    YOUR NOTES

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    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let me how it was!
    BreakfastUnder 30 Minutes
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jennifer

      August 06, 2021 at 9:23 am

      5 stars
      Toad in the Hole was one of the first recipes I remember making on my own as a kid. It was in a kids’ cookbook I had. And your recipe is a grown-up twist on that. This was really good! I loved the peppery, salty cheese flavor. I overcooked the egg slightly so the yolk wasn’t runny, and I’ll watch that next time. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        August 06, 2021 at 9:29 am

        💕💕💕 so glad you liked it!!

        Reply
    2. Madaline

      August 07, 2021 at 12:00 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this recipe! I have few ingredients in my fridge right now and it really helped me to feel grateful for what I have. Perfectly crispy, and a wonderful way to elevate simple elements!

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        August 07, 2021 at 12:05 pm

        💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

        Reply
    3. Heather

      August 08, 2021 at 8:43 am

      5 stars
      This was so delicious and easy. (I had never actually made toad in a hole before!) We had an artisan sesame wheat loaf this time, but I’m definitely going to try this again with white bread to get even more of that crispy, cheesy, and buttery crust.

      Reply
    4. Tina

      November 30, 2021 at 9:18 am

      5 stars
      I have made this easily 10 times now, we almost always have bread and pecorino Romano around and this makes a usual fried egg and toast into something so amazing! It easily turns out best as the recipe notes with a bit of a thinner bread without a lot of holes but we’ve tried it with more artisinal type bread too and or even a French baguette and it’s still amazing if not as perfect looking!

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        November 30, 2021 at 9:29 am

        I'm so glad you like it!!

        Reply

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