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Italian Egg Sandwiches (with Simple Marinara)

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italian egg sandwiches - from side-1

Sitting here with my daughter trying to think of how to convey the… unearthly perfection of this simple sandwich… no, sandwich isn’t the right word… let’s call it a panino (the Italian word for sandwich) to you. Nothing is coming because something so pure, delicate, and blissful can’t be described by my unworthy hand. Okay, a little melodramatic, but it’s how we feel about this one. You guys, this Italian Egg Sandwich with Simple Marinara is THE ultimate in sandwich magnificence. Let’s be clear, though: you must be able to enjoy your eggs a little runny in order to love this dish. If you dislike eggs or make the gaggy face when you think of your yolk being anything other than dry and chalky, this panino isn’t for you. But if you are on the right side of this controversy, this sandwich will be the best thing that ever happened to your belly.

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Toasted peasant bread rubbed with spicy garlic and topped with nutty, salty parmesan, thick homemade marinara and a rich, over-easy egg make for the most delightful symphony of textures and flavors. If the idea of your egg yolk having a run-in with your marinara sounds strange to you, please trust us and give it a try. You’ll be SO happy you did, and you’ll have Giada De Laurentiis to thank for it.

italian egg sandwiches - simple marinara -1

This sandwich is perfect for any time of day: breakfast, brunch, lunch, linner, and dinner (just add a green salad). If you want to skip the step of making marinara, grab a high-quality jar from the store. Please don’t use Prego or anything in that price range. We’ve used Mario Batali’s marinara and it was fantastic. Here’s a photo of us with Mario in Vegas, by-the-way:

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The sauce really shines in this dish so it is imperative that you use a great, homemade tasting marinara (or don’t bother making this dish).

Tips (unsponsored): We love the peasant bread we find at Costco and you’ll need a great, European-style bread for this. We also love the imported Parmesan wedges we find at Costco. Quality, freshly grated parmesan really makes a difference.

italian egg sandwiches - cut, close-up-1

Have your kids help you rub each slice of toast with a garlic clove. They will love how the clove melts on the warm bread, much like butter. The aroma is also amazing! As you prepare and enjoy this dish with those you love, teach them a few things about some of the ingredients:

  • Eggs are a good for B vitamins, which help you have a healthy metabolism and weight.
  • Garlic helps your body have healthy blood flow.
  • Tomatoes have lots of Vitamin C, which is great for your skin.

italian egg sandwiches - straight on-1

Let’s learn a few things about Italy and it’s people:

  • More wine is exported from Italy than from any other country.
  • The proper name for Italy is actually “the Italian Republic.”
  • Pasta dates back to the 4th century BC.

italian egg sandwiches collage

From: Italian Egg Sandwich

Italian Egg Sandwiches (with Simple Marinara)
 
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Prep time
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 1 sandwich, 6 cups sauce
Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 large egg
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 slice rustic white bread (1/2-inch-thick)
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
  • ¼ cup warm Simple Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store-bought chunky marinara sauce, drained of excess liquid
Instructions
  1. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a heavy small skillet over medium heat. Crack the egg into the skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the white is firm and the yolk is almost set, about 4 minutes (or serve "over-easy" by flipping ¾ way into cooking, TAC note). Season with salt.
  2. Meanwhile, toast the bread until golden brown. Rub the garlic over the toast. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Spoon the drained marinara sauce over the Parmesan. Top with the egg. Place the open-faced sandwich on a plate and serve.
  3. Simple Tomato Sauce:
  4. /2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  5. small onion, chopped
  6. cloves garlic, chopped
  7. stalk celery, chopped
  8. carrot, chopped
  9. Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  10. (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
  11. to 6 basil leaves
  12. dried bay leaves
  13. tablespoons unsalted butter, optional
  14. In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
  15. Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
  16. If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.
  17. Yield: 6 cups

 

Charcuterie or Antipasti Spread

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charcuterie or antipasti 1 - 1

What does charcuterie mean anyway? Firstly, let’s get the pronunciation down: “sharkooduhree.” It is a French word and basically means “cooked meat.” You may find a “charcuterie plate” on the menus of quality restaurants, but there is no reason why you can’t enjoy one right from your own home with those you love. So then what is an antipasti plate or spread? Antipasti is Italian and really just means “before the meal,” and typically includes cured meats, cheeses and pickled vegetables. We are NOT experts, but you could use “charcuterie” when referring to your meats and “antipasti” when referring to your entire spread of goodies. However you refer to it, people absolutely LOVE to have options when eating, and a lovely charcuterie board or antipasti spread like this is the epitome of offering choices. You will be hailed for your genius and generosity.

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Let’s talk about the cheese for a sec – you typically want a couple of options for hard cheeses and a couple soft. The most crowd-pleasing hard cheeses are a sharp cheddar-like cheese, such as Dubliner, and a parmesan. In the soft-cheese department, we are talking brie (you can eat the rind) and goat cheese. Above you will find a brie, a cranberry goat, and an Italian truffle cheese (semi-soft). The hard cheeses are Dubliner and an extra-sharp orange cheddar (because your picky eaters will identify with the orange cheese and know it equals cheddar. Tee-hee-hee). We love Trader Joe’s for cheeses and meats. The meat you see here is a multi-pack, consisting of prosciutto and 2 different salamis. We love the peasant bread and baguettes from Costco. We usually toast some and leave some soft.

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Your condiments are important because they allow people to individualize their choices even more, and people love to see which cheeses and meats taste best with which condiment. We like to have a good, whole-grain mustard, a preserve, such as cherry or raspberry, at least one olive choice, and a fresh or dried fruit, like Concord or Thomas grapes or dried currants (pictured above). Pickled vegetables such as jarred artichokes or peperoncinis make lovely additions. All the flavors these condiments contribute can be mixed and matched to make for fantastic sweet and salty combinations – a couple of our favorite combos are brie with preserves, and prosciutto with dubliner and mustard.

charcuterie or antipasti boxwood wreath fresh holly - 1

A nice, festive background is always pleasant. For our get-together, we had guests grab something to munch on in the backyard before it got too dark and cold, then we came inside for hot soup. This star battery-operated light fixture provided a delicate glow as the sun went down, and this fresh boxwood wreath and fresh holly (both from Trader Joe’s) lent some freshness and holiday cheer. This Himalayan salt board came from Trader Joe’s as well, by-the-way, and makes for beautiful presentation. You can heat it and serve things hot on it, or chill at (as we did here) to keep your meats cooler for longer. Genius.

boxwood wreath holiday decor - 1

Slow Cooker Ribollita

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Slow Cooker Ribollita - 1

Tuscan-style soups are just plain delicious and satisfying any time, but especially in the cooler months. This one rocks the house because it’s a slow-cooker meal with very little active time – just a little chopping and measuring. And actually, you could prep this the night before in the bowl of the slow-cooker, put it covered in the fridge, and start it in the morning. “Ribollita” means “reboiled,” and the recipe traditionally calls for a piece of stale bread to be added to the soup at some point to help thicken it, but honestly, we skip this step, ha! Perhaps it was just our favorite peasant bread, but it just kind of remained a mushy glob after the 10 minute cook time at the end, so we removed it. Give it a try, though… you can always remove it. We love that this soup calls for very little meat; just a handful or so of pancetta for some extra salty, cured flavor.

Slow Cooker Ribollita ingredients - 1

Tip (unsponsored): Liven things up a bit by using tri-colored carrots (we find ours at Trader Joe’s and Sprouts). We almost always replace at least half of the water called for in soup with chicken STOCK (we use Kitchen Basics). Doing this adds to the flavor meter. Here, we use a box (4 cups) of stock and 3 cups water. We couldn’t find dry cannellini beans in our local markets, so we ordered them online from Amazon and they arrived in a couple days. Other white beans were available, but we really love the creaminess of cannellini’s and wanted to stick with those.

Have your kids help you grate the parmesan and dump ingredients. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:

  • Celery has potassium, which may help to lower high blood pressure.
  • Cabbage has tons of fiber, which helps you have a healthy weight.
  • Cannellini beans are a low-glycemic food, which means that they provide your body with energy for hours after you even eat them.

Let’s learn a few facts about Tuscany, Italy:

  • You have to pay to get into most beaches in Tuscany.
  • Tuscany is home to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, among a few other towers that lean.
  • Many movies have been filmed in Tuscany due to it’s beautiful countryside.

Adapted slightly from: Slow Cooker Ribollita

Slow Cooker Ribollita
 
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Prep time
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $15
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 medium carrots, roughly chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
  • ¼ small head green cabbage, sliced (about 3 cups)
  • 4 ounces pancetta, diced
  • 1 cup dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus a 2-inch piece of the rind
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 5 thick slices crusty bread
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 4 cups chicken STOCK
Instructions
  1. Combine the carrots, celery, cabbage, pancetta, beans, tomato paste, parmesan rind, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, the chicken STOCK and 3 cups water in a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low, 7 to 8 hours.
  2. Stir the soup well, then add the grated parmesan and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Spread the remaining 4 bread slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Broil until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Place a slice in each bowl.
  4. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling the pan frequently, until the garlic is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stir the garlic and oil into the soup. Ladle the soup over the bread in the bowls.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 642 Fat: 28 g Saturated fat: 9 g Carbohydrates: 67 g Sodium: 1,044 mg Fiber: 15 g Protein: 27 g Cholesterol: 35 mg

 

Scrambled Eggs with Ricotta and Broccolini

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Scrambled Eggs with Ricotta and Broccolini - 1

When we were trapped in Paris (that’s me above – the blondie), we were ravenous one morning after spending a couple of frustrating days in the Paris airport. We went downstairs in the hotel where they served breakfast. This hotel was very practical, about a stone’s throw away from the airport, so expected to find a continental breakfast only slightly better than one you’d find at a Best Western in the U.S. Boy, were we wrong. We were met with the most wonderful culinary experience we’ve ever encountered for breakfast… and it was self-serve. We’re telling you – they really know what to do with food in Paris.

But, let’s get to our point: we had scrambled eggs unlike any we’d experienced before. They were… creamy. Creamy and rich and so delicious. When we got home, we googled “how to make scrambled eggs like the French” and practiced making eggs with the hopes of achieving the magnificence we’d experienced in Paris. We came upon this recipe, and it is simply glorious. You see, we’d only ever had scrambled eggs the same way: miserably overcooked. We grew up cranking the heat, adding our beaten eggs to a really hot frying pan (you know, where the teflon was starting to peel off), and cooking them till they looked dry and started smelling like… well, over-cooked eggs, and were the consistency of rubber. Sound familiar? This method results in super gross eggs. Here’s the secret: eggs need more time and attention than that. They need low heat, constant stirring, and to be removed from the heat BEFORE they are done and still glisten. Trust us here. They continue to cook after being removed from the heat. They may look too “slimy” to you still, but just give them a chance. They will be creamy and perfect and taste the way they are supposed to.

You know those nights when you’ve gone out to lunch and you aren’t super hungry at dinner but you still need to provide some sort of sustenance for your family? You don’t have the time or energy to make a big, full-on meal but you want to make something healthy and with very few ingredients. This is your recipe. This scrambled egg dish seems very fancy with it’s elegant looking broccolini, ricotta, parmesan and crusty bread, but it’s on the table in 20 and is only 335 calories per serving – those are impressive numbers. Enjoy.

Scrambled Eggs with Ricotta and Broccolini ingredients-1

Tip (unsponsored): These eggs are so satisfying when scooped onto your crusty bread (we toast ours in the oven). We just love the peasant bread at Costco, as it reminds us of Europe. It is the perfect bread for these eggs, but you can use any crusty bread or toast that you love. Throw some roma tomatoes on the grill for an added flavor bonus.

Have your children help you cut the broccolini into bite-size pieces (with supervision) and sprinkle the end dish with parmesan. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:

  • Eggs are a good for B vitamins, which help you have a healthy metabolism and weight.
  • Broccolini has lots of potassium, which helps keep your nervous system healthy.
  • Ricotta cheese is a good source of phosphorus, which helps you have energy.

Since we were talking about how wonderful the scrambled eggs are in France, let’s learn a few things about France and it’s people:

  • Most kids in France go to state-run daycares because their mothers work.
  • French onion soup really is a traditional soup made with beef broth and topped with toast with melted cheese.
  • There are hundreds of kinds of cheese made in France, and they eat much more cheese than we do in the U.S.

scrambled eggs with ricotta and broccolini collage

Adapted from: Scrambled Eggs with Ricotta and Broccolini

Scrambled Eggs with Ricotta and Broccolini
 
Print
Prep time
Active time
Total time
 
Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $8
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large bunch broccolini, roughly chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 8 large eggs, beaten
  • ⅓ cup ricotta cheese
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the broccolini, 2 tablespoons water, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
  2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the eggs, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the eggs are just barely set, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the broccolini and ricotta. Sprinkle with the parmesan. Serve with bread.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 335 Fat: 25 g Saturated fat: 8 g Carbohydrates: 8 g Sodium: 633 mg Fiber: 1 g Protein: 19 g Cholesterol: 451 mg

 

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