2000s Recipes + Menus

Savory Parmesan Pain Perdu with Poached Eggs and Greens

Serves2
  • Active time:15 min
  • Start to finish:1 hr
May 2009
We’re not dismissing the sweeter side of pain perdu (French toast), but custardy, golden bread just as easily goes savory. Here, it’s baked into a puffy, cheesy base for poached eggs and a salad. View more of our favorite recipes from this issue.
  • 6 (1-inch-thick) slices baguette, cut on a diagonal
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 large eggs, divided
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar plus a few drops for cooking eggs
  • 3 cups baby greens (2 oz)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
  • Butter a 1-qt shallow baking dish or a 9-inch pie plate. Arrange bread in 1 layer in dish.
  • Whisk together milk, 1 egg, and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Pour over bread. Sprinkle with cheese and press lightly to help bread absorb custard. Let stand until absorbed, 15 to 30 minutes.
  • Dot with butter and bake, uncovered, until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Bring 2 inches water to a boil with a few drops of vinegar in a small deep skillet or saucepan. Break each remaining egg into a cup and slide into water, spacing eggs apart. Poach at a bare simmer to desired doneness (we prefer firm whites with runny yolks, 2 to 3 minutes).
  • Meanwhile, toss greens with remaining 2 tsp vinegar, oil, and 1/8 tsp salt.
  • Divide pain perdu between 2 plates and top with salad. Lift eggs out of poaching liquid 1 at a time with a slotted spoon and place on top of salad. Lightly season eggs with salt and pepper.
Cooks’ note: We’ve also got a Web-exclusive recipe using the leftover baguette.
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