Dippy Eggs with Toast Soldiers

Ready in 20 minutes, these dippy eggs with cheese-fried toast soldiers make for a quick and easy breakfast or brunch and require very little prep work.

Not so long ago, I was helpless in the kitchen. Even boiling water for pasta was a mystery to me. So when learning to cook, I leaned heavily on others for help. One of the first cookbooks I read was by Julia Child, who I thought was “just some old lady with a cooking show”. But once I buried myself in the pages, I felt an instant connection. Her personality leapt off the pages, and I found myself trusting her guidance. With Julia by my side, I could make a crepe or a poached egg. With Julia’s help, I could make a fancy French dinner for friends and pull it off—and did, much to my own surprise. The more I tried, the more I realized with the right recipe as guidance: I could cook. Keep reading for this dippy eggs recipe, and how it relates to my early cooking days.

The perfect breakfast: dippy eggs & toast soldiers

We recently picked up Tara O’Brady’s new cookbook, Seven Spoons. And as I started reading through her story and recipe head notes, I felt that old Julia vibe. Tara writes as through she’s speaking to a dear friend, and her language is so vivid and descriptive it’s hard to put down. Her book is an eclectic mix of Indian, British, French, and Italian-inspired dishes, with fancy dishes, like Specialty Restaurant Lentil Kofta Curry, and simpler fare, like Avocado Toast. Oh, and fabulous photos.

As we paged through the book, this recipe for dippy eggs (soft boiled eggs) and toast soldiers stood out to both of us. Though it didn’t have a corresponding photograph in the book (which always makes me stumble), toast soldiers sounded too fun not to try.

On a lazy Saturday morning, we cooked up the dippy eggs and toasties, with bright light streaming in the windows and the intoxicating aroma of warm coffee. We’d never eaten out of egg cups before, but they provide the perfect position for dipping into the runny, rich egg yolk. Topped with a little salt and smoked paprika and delivered on a crunchy cheese toasty, these dippy eggs felt fancy and simple all at once.

The photos throughout this post are of our breakfast date on that day, nothing staged, everything just as we ate it. Looking at them gives me that warm, cozy, breakfasty feeling that you have on weekends with people you love. Thank you so much, Tara, for sharing your heart and soul in this beautiful book—it’s a masterpiece.

PS For bonus points, name the city where we honeymooned, based on the hidden clue in these photos.

Looking for more easy egg recipes?

Outside of these dippy eggs, here are a few more easy egg recipes:

This dippy eggs recipe is…

Vegetarian.

clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon print print icon squares squares icon Dippy Eggs with Toast Soldiers (3 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)

4.7 from 3 reviews Author: a Couple Cooks

a Couple Cooks Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Total Time: 21 minutes

Yield: 2 1 x Print Recipe Pin Recipe Description Ready in 20 minutes, these dippy eggs with cheese-fried toast soldiers make for a quick and easy breakfast or brunch and require very little prep work. Scale 1x 2x 3x Ingredients 2 thick slices sturdy sandwich bread

thick slices sturdy sandwich bread 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise

mayonnaise 1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)

chopped chives (optional) 2 to 4 eggs, depending on appetite

to eggs, depending on appetite Flaky sea salt and freshly ground back pepper

Smoked paprika Instructions Fill a saucepan with water deep enough to cover the eggs by 2 inches. Bring the water to a simmer, then reduce the heat so that the water is only quivering. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. On a board, spread one side of each slice of bread with a thin coating of mayonnaise. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the slices, then press gently to secure the fleecy layer of cheese. Flip the bread over. Spread the second side with more mayonnaise and cover with the remaining cheese, patting down again. Fry the bread in the hot pan until evenly golden brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Sprinkle with the chives while hot, then set aside to keep warm if needed. Meanwhile, once the water is at the proper temperature, use a strainer or slotted spoon to carefully lower the eggs into their bath. Cook for exactly 6 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain the barest simmer, with tiny bubbles just breaking the surface. When the timer dings, remove each egg with the slotted spoon and place in an egg cup. Lop off each top with a knife. Season with salt and pepper and paprika. (Alternative: If you don’t have egg cups, run the eggs under cold water until cool enough to handle, then rap the fat end against the counter and peel gently. Place in a small bowl, split, and dip away.) Cut the toasts into strips and have at it. Be sure to keep seasoning the eggs as you devour them. Notes The recipe indicates to use a cast-iron skillet, but we found a non-stick skillet was easier to use and clean. Reprinted with permission from Seven Spoons: My Favorite Recipes for Any and Every Day by Tara O’Brady Category: Breakfast

Method: Stovetop

Cuisine: British Keywords: dippy eggs, toast soldiers, Breakfast Recipes, Egg Recipes, Brunch Recipes

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