Savoury Eggy Bread Recipe
By Ed Smith
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Easy
I don’t recall savoury eggy bread being a feature of my childhood, but when prompted to make a version of this sticky, cheesy treat by Ukrainian cookery writer Olia Hercules, it felt so familiar, so comforting. A bit naughty, too. Something to punctuate the monotony of a grey day.
This recipe is extracted from Good Eggs by Ed Smith (Quadrille, £22), Photography by Sam A Harris
TRY: Check out Ed Smith's recipes for Tamagoyaki & Menemen!
Ingredients for Savoury Eggy Bread
- 2 large eggs
- 60ml full-fat milk
- Generous pinch celery salt
- Generous pinch ground black pepper
- 4 slices of slightly dry white bread
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 40g butter
- 100g vintage Cheddar, coarsely grated
How to make Savoury Eggy Bread
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, celery salt and pepper, and pour this into a small, shallow baking tray so it sits 5mm–1cm deep.
- Lay the bread face down in it for 2 minutes, then flip over and wait for 2 minutes more.
- Flip again, if you wish, and soak until the bread feels sodden and heavy (do this in batches if necessary).
- Combine the mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl.
- Heat half of the butter in a large pan and cook the eggy bread, frying for around 1 minute per side, flipping 2–3 times, until the eggy edges are set and golden-tinted, and the bread is bouncy to touch. Add the remaining butter halfway through. (If four pieces of bread don’t fit in your pan, you will need to cook in batches – adjust butter quantities accordingly.)
- While still warm, spread a decent smudge of mustard-mayo over each piece, shower with grated cheese and enjoy.
- ALSO CONSIDER: Rubbing the bread with garlic before dunking. Topping with crisp streaky bacon, or garlicky, sauted mushrooms before adding the cheese.
About the author
Ed Smith, an award-winning food writer and former lawyer, now crafts recipes, consults, and writes after training as a chef. He's active on social media and has authored cookbooks like 'Crave,' awarded Cookery Book of the Year in 2022, 'On the Side,' 'Good Eggs' and 'The Borough Market Cookbook.' His work frequently appears in outlets such as Waitrose Food, BBC Good Food, and The Sunday Times Magazine.
