Turkish eggs
Serves 2
Turkish eggs sound wonderful, and they are wonderful. If you have looked at the recipe, you may not fancy having your poached eggs with Greek yogurt. Hold on, and give it a try. You’ll be coming back for more, I promise. I had my very first Turkish egg for breakfast on a trip to London one year, and it was a revelation, a complete mouth sensation. Now, I can’t resist them.
Aleppo pepper has a mild, almost sweet heat and a distinctive lemon flavor. If you can’t get the Aleppo, also known as pul biber or Turkish red pepper flakes, you can substitute paprika mixed with a pinch of dried chili flakes. In these days of Amazon online grocery shopping, I’d encourage you to go for the real thing. It makes a big difference to the finished result.
If you have an egg-poaching method of your own that you’re perfectly happy with, ignore my instructions below. This is the quickest and most reliable way I found of poaching eggs. Believe me, we as a family poach eggs nearly every Saturday morning. With the boys coming down at all different times, I want something easy and quick so I can get back to the deck and enjoy my morning coffee and reading before I start my chores.
Ingredients:
1 cup plain full fat Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
2 large free-range organic eggs, cold
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped (optional)
2 slices thick whole wheat toasted bread or 2 slices thick sourdough (optional)
How to cook:
Take a medium size saucepan and fill with 2 inches of water. Place over a medium to high heat and bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Place the yogurt into a heatproof bowl that is large enough to sit over the pan. Stir in the garlic and salt. Place the bowl over the pan, making sure the base doesn’t touch the water. Stir until it the yogurt is warm and has the consistency of lightly whipped heavy cream. Turn off the heat, leaving the bowl over the pan.
Melt the butter gently in a separate small saucepan until it is just beginning to turn hazelnut-brown. Do not burn. Turn the heat off. Stir in the oil followed by the Aleppo pepper. Set aside.
Take a soup bowl and fill with 2 inches of cold water. Crack in the 2 eggs. Place the bowl into the microwave and cook for 2 minutes on high. Check the eggs after 2 minutes. You want the whites set and the yolks to runny. Transfer the eggs to a lined plate using a slotted spoon.
To serve, divide the warm, creamy yoghurt between two shallow bowls. Top each with a poached egg, and pour over the peppery butter. Scatter over the chopped dill, and serve with the toasted sourdough bread.