Dinner Tonight: Poached Egg and Bacon Sandwich + Roasted Za'atar Potatoes

"You can put bacon on a sandwich without anyone freaking out. But the moment your sandwich has an egg, boom, it's a breakfast sandwich." We wholeheartedly agree with Hazel, the wise-beyond-her-teenage-years protagonist from John Green's best-selling book, The Fault in Our Stars. Bacon already gets plenty of play in an acronym'ed lunchtime staple -- why should bacon have all the fun? Tonight, we bring you the BLT&E. Take it one step further and make a meal-bending version of breakfast potatoes. The potatoes call for homemade za'atar, if you are strapped on time you can pick some up at your local Middle Eastern grocery store. So read the book (warning -- it's a tear-jerker), and immediately comfort yourself with this meal.

The Menu

Poached Egg & Bacon Sandwich

Poached Egg Sandwich on Food52
Poached Egg Sandwich on Food52

Serves 2

2 fresh ciabatta rolls
1 tablespoon butter
4 pieces uncured bacon
2 handfuls curly endive, frisee or other bitter salad green
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise
2 large eggs


1. If you have take and bake ciabatta rolls, follow the directions on the package to warm up.

2. Slice rolls in half and spread butter on each half. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and toast each roll half. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Make the dressing for the greens: combine 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon mayo. Whisk this together until well combined. Roughly chop the greens and toss with dressing.

5. Fill a medium saute pan with about 2 inches of water and bring to a slow boil. When water is boiling, add one egg and poach. Keep the water to a low boil and, using a spoon, gently spoon hot water over the top of the egg to cook it. Cook each egg for about 1 minute for over easy..

6. Assemble the sandwich: on one half of each roll layer 2 slices of bacon, 1 egg, and half of the greens. Top with the other roll half..

Save and print the recipe on Food52

Roasted Potatoes with Homemade Za'atar and Aleppo Pepper

Roasted Potatoes on Food52
Roasted Potatoes on Food52

Save and print the recipe on Food52

Grocery List

2 to 3 pounds assorted potatoes, cut up (red & purple organic fingerling potatoes & golden round Buttercream)
3 to 4 tablespoons za'atar (homemade see below for ingredients or store-bought)
2 tablespoons aleppo pepper
1 lemon, juiced
2 fresh ciabatta rolls
4 pieces uncured bacon
2 handfuls curly endive, frisee or other bitter salad green
2 large eggs

Homemade Za'atar Recipe

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons sumac
1 tablespoon sea salt

We know you have a well-stocked pantry so you'll have olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, butter, and mayonnaise.

The Plan

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. If you are making your own za'atar, grind the spices in a coffee grinder for a finer texture.

2. Cut up the potatoes into bite-size pieces. Mix potatoes, za'aatar aleppo pepper, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl.

3. Transfer to a baking dish for 40 to 50 minutes until potatoes are tender and golden brown.

4. While the potoatoes are baking away, take the ciabatta rolls, cut in half, butter and toast in a medium non-stick skillet.

5. Cook bacon in that same skillet until crispy.

6. Make dressing for the greens, whisking olive oil, red wine, and mayonnaise together. Chop greens and toss with dressing.

7. Now comes the most important part -- POACHING THE EGG.

Note: If you have your own method, go forth and poach. But if not, here are two: Fill a medium saute pan with about 2 inches of water and bring to a slow boil. When water is boiling, add one egg and poach. Keep the water to a low boil and, using a spoon, gently spoon hot water over the top of the egg to cook it. Cook each egg for about 1 minute for over-easy.

8. Place your perfectly-poached egg on top of the toasted ciabatta with bacon slices and dressed greens.

9. Generously dole out potatoes on the side. Egg yolk might dribble out of your sandwich, in that case, smear your potatoes in it.

Photos by James Ransom and Sarah Shatz.

This article originally appeared on Food52.com: Dinner Tonight: Poached Egg and Bacon Sandwich + Roasted Za'atar Potatoes