Food file: the egg and I

"Shh, I'm not telling Randy, he's afraid of chickens... and the Pope's big hat, but mainly because he thinks there's a chicken under it."
-My Name is Earl


Chickens kind of freak me out, and I think having them is against the bylaws here, but if this weren't the case, I might be tempted b/c I love eggs. I often rely on eggs for meals -- they're quick & versatile. At the right time, an omelette is a perfect dinner, and I rank "eggs in purgatory" up with all the best comfort food. Yesterday, I made a very quick spinach pie using pretty much the traditional ingredients of eggs, cheeses, fresh spinach & green onions + puff pastry -- frozen, from Pepperidge Farms. I haven't made "real" spanakopita using filo dough in years, b/c I felt under too much pressure to work quickly to brush & butter the filo dough before a.) it dried up; and b.) Wyatt woke up from his nap. I am no longer sent into freak-out mode with such concerns. This is very good!
The second egg dish here is from -- Judy Rodgers (Saint Judy). Eggs fried in bread crumbs! Hello?! What a great idea! It's fast, easy, and tastes great -- almost as if your normal toast has been magically crushed & incorporated into your eggs -- eureka! You just heat up bread crumbs, drop in some olive oil, then the eggs, cook them as you like, and then transfer them to a plate. Then you put a teaspoon of balsamic or red wine vinegar into the hot pan, sizzle it and drizzle it over the plated eggs, and toss a little fresh thyme over it all. I know it's not picture-perfect, and that is b/c I had the burner up high and had the challenge of cooking the egg whites before the bread crumbs burned. Judy SAYS to throw those eggs in the second you see the bread crumbs coloring, and I wasn't really listening. It was, of course, very tasty, despite the messy appearance.

Mario Batali's recipe for Eggs in Purgatory