Egg-in-a-hole
A fried egg cooks inside a crisp buttered slice of bread.
Everyday technique · Runny, Crispy · Easy · Researched
- Prep
- 3 min
- Cook
- 6 min
- Serves
- 1
20–24 cm frying pan · Silicone spatula · Small bowl
Ingredients
- 1 thick slice of bread
- 1 large egg
- 10 g butter
- A pinch of salt and pepper
Method
Cut an opening
Cut a 6 cm circle from the centre of the bread using a glass or cutter. Keep the cut-out.
Look for: The opening is wide enough for the yolk and some white.
Toast the first side
Melt butter over moderate heat and add bread and cut-out. Toast for about 1 minute.
Look for: The underside becomes lightly golden.
Add the egg
Crack the egg into the hole. Reduce heat and cook for about 2–3 minutes, until the underside white holds.
Look for: The egg joins the bread without a clear, flowing edge.
Flip and finish
Turn bread and egg together with a wide spatula. Cook another 1–2 minutes, setting the white. Season and serve with the toasted cut-out.
Safety: For this soft-centred preparation, use pasteurised eggs if available. The FDA recommends firm whites and yolks for the lowest risk; children, pregnant people, older adults and people with weakened immunity should choose the fully cooked option. Colour and texture do not prove that an egg is safe.
Look for: Both faces are crisp and the white is opaque.
Equipment & heat
Equipment & heat
On induction, start with low-to-moderate power and watch the butter; avoid boost. Gas also works: keep the flame beneath the base. On electric, move the pan to a cool ring if the egg sets faster than you can work. The aim is foaming butter without darkening.
Nonstick: A good fit. Use a silicone or wooden utensil.
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting
A small opening overflows. Cut a larger hole or use a smaller egg. Brown bread with raw egg needs lower heat and a brief lid finish.
About this version
About this version
This guide uses a flipped pan method. The name toad-in-the-hole also refers to a different British sausage-and-batter dish.
Unless stated otherwise, use large chicken eggs, approximately 60 g in the shell, refrigerated. Timings are starting points: use the visual checkpoints and any stated temperature check.
Sources
This guide was written from the references below. Egg Atlas has not kitchen-tested it.
Illustrations by Egg Atlas. They show the method; they are not photographs of a tested result.