Egg Drop Brioche Sandwich
Okay so, this is about to sound very Southern….. but there’s really no other way to put this: Lord knows how much I love a good breakfast sandwich! There’s something about the buttery brioche, creamy eggs, bacon and then… that cheese pull. PHEW!
But this is a special one with a story: I had the privilege of traveling to Berlin for work this summer and with COVID restrictions letting up, I was able to explore the city a bit. And what a fun, funky and diverse city it was! I had not been back to Europe in over 3 years so it was so wonderful to be back. And after spending most of my time in Kruezberg, a coworker recommended taking a stroll through Prenzlauer Berg, which I did after a late night of fun, and it was an absolute delight! The cobblestone streets were riddled with quaint shops, cafes and delicious spots for a bite. People whizzed by on bicycles as I strolled through the quiet sunlit streets. I leisurely made my way to Rykestraße and while I intended to stumble over to Allans Breakfast Club, the line was way too long so I took a chance on finding something else. Luckily 44Brekkie, was just across the street and OMG - a breakfast sandwich love affair was reborn! Their “Egg Drop” breakfast sandwiches were filled to the brim with goodness, like buttery eggs, bacon, cheese and their “secret sauce”, and all wrapped up in an absolutely divine brioche. Drool. So here is my version, slightly dressed up but still oh so simply good. Can’t wait to see your variations! Cheers!
Ingredients
Serves 2
Pasta
1/2 loaf of brioche (If you don’t want to make your own, I’ve tried the 14oz Braided Brioche from Whole Foods)
4 medium or large eggs (whisked together with salt)
1/2 cup chopped pancetta (or bacon if you cant find it)
1 portobella mushroom (sliced)
1/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese (or other melty cheese)
salt and pepper to taste
Secret sauce: Use what you like with your eggs! Hot sauce?! Salsa verde?! Sriracha?! Do your thing! 44Brekkie uses a creamy, sweet (maybe hollandaise type?) sauces but with eggs I usually opt for my OG tomato/habanero salsa recipe (coming soon)
Method
Heat a 10-11 inch nonstick pan on medium. Once hot sear the pancetta until its crispy but not burned. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Add in a tbsp of a neutral high heat oil, and add in shallots once it shimmers. Cook the shallots until golden, then set aside.
Add in 1 tbsp of butter and saute the mushrooms, with a few thyme sprigs, until they are golden and have released their moisture (about 5 minutes). Set aside on the plate.
Meanwhile cut the brioche into 4” slices. Carefully cut down the middle of each slice from top to bottom but DO NOT cut all the way through! Again carefully pinch or spoon out a bit of the inside of the bread to make room for the edge. You can dry any extra bread out and use as breadcrumbs or croutons.
Toast the bread on both sides until golden and set aside.
Back to the pan, lower the heat to low-medium (or low if your pan retains a lot of heat) and add in a 1-2 tbsp of butter until it coats the bottom of the pan and begins to bubble. Pour in the eggs with a few cracks of black pepper and allow to set for 2-3 minutes
Once the eggs starts to solidify, sprinkle the pancetta, shallots and mushrooms evenly and top with the cheese.
Using a turner or spatula, lift one side of the eggs and fold it over the other side and flatten a bit with the back of the spatula.
Using the spatula “cut” the egg in half and carefully “stuff” into the hollowed out brioche.
Top with a sprinkle of garlic chives and a bit more cheese then drizzle the opening with secret sauce. Cut it in half down the middle and enjoy the buttery golden goodness!
