I’ll never get tired of coming up with new ways to cook and serve eggs. The inspiration here was cacio e pepe, the famous pasta dish of Rome. Cacio e pepe translates to “cheese and pepper”—it sounds simple (and it is), but those two ingredients are all it takes to make a phenomenal pasta. In this case, I decided to make a white wine vinaigrette and pump it up with a ton of cheese and black pepper in a nod to cacio e pepe. Of course, I didn’t have any Pecorino Romano when I made this, so I used Parmigiano-Reggiano instead. Either works.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 25 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 small shallot, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 8 large eggs
- 4 large slices (1/2 inch thick) country loaf
- 1 garlic clove, halved crosswise
- Sliced fresh chives, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, 3 tablespoons of the vinegar, the honey, shallot, and 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper. Season with salt, then whisking briskly, slowly stream in 1/3 cup of the olive oil to emulsify. Whisk in the Parmigiano and set aside.
- In a large deep sauté pan, combine 6 cups water and the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Line a plate with paper towels. Break each of 4 of the eggs into an individual cup or small bowl. Use a slotted spoon to swirl the water in the pan to create a small whirlpool, then one at a time gently add an egg in the center. Poach the eggs until the yolk is nearly or almost set, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain the liquid and place on the paper towels. Season the top with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining 4 eggs.
- Preheat the broiler. Brush the bread slices on both sides with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Toast under the broiler until lightly browned and crispy on both sides, 2 to 5 minutes. Rub the toasted bread with the cut sides of the garlic clove.
- Cut each piece of toast in half crosswise, then top each with a poached egg and drizzle with the dressing. Garnish with sliced chives and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 557 |
| Total Fat | 42 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 23 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 21 g |
| Cholesterol | 380 mg |
| Sodium | 520 mg |