A Frico Fried Egg Sandwich is cheasy and satisfying. It’s a fried egg with a savory cap of crisped Parmesan served on a soft and buttery pan toasted English muffin.
An ode to the breakfast sandwich is unwarranted. With an image dominated by fast food versions, it feels crass to admit my affinity. But among breakfast offerings it’s the one that feels most like self-care inasmuch as any food item delivers emotional support.
My favorite at-home version is a sausage, egg, and cheese on a homemade biscuit. It’s a bit of a project but perfect for lazy weekend mornings with a chill groove playlist for motivation to cook all the component parts. Bake the buttermilk biscuits, fry the sausage, and make a folded egg with some cheese. Final sandwich assembly completes the ritual, breakfast in a biscuit.
If I’m dining out in the morning, I always scan for breakfast sandwich on the menu. Is there egg and cheese on fancy bread? Brioche, croissant, sourdough – you’ve got my attention. I still think about the amazing breakfast quesadilla I had upon straggling into a local diner after ditching a rain soaked campsite. A toasted bagel filled with cream cheese stretches the genre, but still a breakfast sandwich.
With this expanded definition of sandwich, there’s a whole roster of open-faced delights. If I order a basic plate of eggs and potatoes, I’m piling all that on buttered toast for a DIY breakfast sandwich. Maybe avocado toast is passé, but I’m here for it. At the risk of side eye from my family, I think beans on toast are low-key sublime.
Because many road trips start with a McDonalds drive-through window, I associate the breakfast sandwich with the anticipation of a journey. Even on a mundane running-late for an appointment kind of morning, an egg McMuffin evokes a micro sense of wanderlust.
Lately, I’ve been getting my fix with a Frico Fried Egg Sandwich. It’s quick and easy for a weekday morning, but savory and satisfying. It combines a Parmesan cheese crisp with a fried egg, served on a soft and buttery English muffin. I was inspired by the feta fried egg trend as fueled by food writer Grace Elkus.
The first step for my Frico Fried Egg Sandwich is buttering an English Muffin and toasting it cut side down in a pan or on a griddle. You get a beautiful golden crispy surface while the rest goes soft and squishy (no hard edges from the toaster.) Remove your English muffin to a plate, then fry your egg.
Add a handful of grated Parmesan cheese to the hot pan. Crack an egg on top of the Parmesan and cook for about 2 minutes until egg white is set on the bottom and the cheese is golden brown. Flip the egg so the Parm is on top. Cook until till the egg is done to your liking. Transfer the egg to a waiting muffin. Grind on some black pepper, maybe a pinch of salt.
Sometimes I use an egg ring for a nicely shaped egg to match the English muffin. But even well-greased, the egg and cheese fiercely stick, so removal can be difficult. It works free form, without the egg ring, if you don’t mind the irregular shape and spread.
I’ve tried embellishing my Frico Fried Egg with basil and tomato but find a smattering of salt and black pepper is all I want. It’s a basic fried egg sandwich, but the layer of golden Parmesan adds a bit of flair. I get my feel-good breakfast sandwich fix without too much fuss.
Frico Fried Egg Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 English muffin
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 3 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 large egg
- Salt
- Ground Black pepper
Instructions
- Spread butter on cut sides of English muffin.
- Heat skillet over medium heat. Place the English muffin cut side down on the skillet. Heat for about 2 minutes or so until cut side is toasty brown to your liking. Transfer English muffin to plate.
- Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese into the skillet over medium heat. Pour the egg onto the Parmesan. Cook for about 2 minutes until the Parm is golden brown on the bottom and the egg white is set.
- Flip the egg so the Parm is on top. Cook until till the egg is done to your liking. Transfer the egg to the toasted English muffin. Grind on some black pepper, maybe a pinch of salt.
Notes
- Sometimes I use an egg ring for a nicely shaped egg to match the English muffin. But even well-greased, the egg and cheese fiercely stick, so removal can be difficult. It works free form, without the egg ring, if you don’t mind the irregular shape and spread.
- If you’re cheese lover, you probably know the distinction between Parmigiano Reggiano and Parmesan. Whichever you choose, I think freshly grated from the wedge is preferred.
- As an alternate to grinding the black pepper onto the finished egg, combine it first with the grated Parmesan before spreading it on the skillet.
