Epic Egg in a Hole | Jamie Oliver

Epic Egg in a Hole | Jamie Oliver

Ingredients

• 1 bagel (can substitute with a bun or toast)
• 1 sausage (quality matters; better sausage = better flavor)
• 1 egg per bagel
• Cheese (quantity not specified; locally sourced cheese used)
• A splash of water (for steaming)
• Sauce for serving (brown sauce recommended; alternatives: red sauce, mustard)

Equipment

• Frying pan with lid (or use a tray/tinfoil as a cover)
• Fish slice/spatula
• Knife or hands to make hole in bread

Method

1. Preparation

• Use a bagel or similar bread and cut or rip a hole in the center. If the hole is too small, pinch and enlarge it with your thumbs.
• Remove sausage from casing by squeezing it out.

2. Cooking

• Place a cold pan on medium-low heat.
• Press the sausage meat onto the top edge of the bagel hole, creating a sausage “vessel” that will hold the egg.
• Place the sausage-coated bagel in the pan and press down gently.
• Allow the sausage fat to render and the meat to crisp and turn golden. Use auditory cues (sizzle sound) to judge doneness.
• Crack an egg carefully into the hole in the bagel.
• Add a splash of water to the pan and immediately cover with a lid (or tray/tinfoil) to create steam.
• The steam will gently cook (coddle) the egg and soften the bagel.
• Add half of the cheese to fill/plug the hole around the egg.
• After a minute or so, use a fish slice to carefully lift and flip the bagel, sausage side down.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the now golden sausage.
• Pat the cheese down and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes until cheese melts and everything is heated through.

3. Serving

• Turn off the heat.
• Serve with your choice of sauce. Jamie suggests brown sauce but notes red sauce or mustard are also good options.
• Presentation tip: add sauce decoratively (e.g., a heart shape).

Chef Tips

• Start with a cold pan for better sausage rendering.
• Wash hands during preparation for hygiene.
• The sausage forms a vessel to hold the egg, making it a unique “egg in a hole.”
• Adjust the hole size in the bagel as needed for the egg.
• Adding water and covering the pan creates steam to gently cook the egg without overcooking the bread.
• Flip carefully with a fish slice to keep the structure intact.
• This recipe is indulgent and comforting, ideal for a late-night snack or when craving something satisfying.

Variations

• Bread options: bagel, bun, or toast.
• Sauce choices: brown sauce, red sauce, mustard, or all three combined.
• Optional (humorous) addition: a splash of beer instead of water for steaming.

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Presented by: Jamie Oliver Source: Jamie Oliver YouTube channel (Epic Egg in a Hole)