Pan’e Uovo has roots in la cucina povera, a place where good food is miraculously made even when there’s not much to be had. If you have a piece of bread, an egg, and some olive oil, you can make this meal. It can be breakfast, lunch, dinner, midnight snack…whatever you like! It’s only important to know that it’s a complete and satisfying meal that can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion.

What kind of bread should you use?

I like to use crusty, almost stale, Italian sliced bread. Every week, I buy a loaf of Zurro’s sliced Italian bread. The crust is always dark brown and a bit rough, and the inside has a hardy crumb. It’s also a local bakery, so I can get this bread freshly baked that morning from any local market they deliver to. That being said, I also like to use any leftover sourdough bread – if I can slice it thin enough. Any slice of bread should be 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick at most.

Least recommended, but will do the trick in desperate times: soft whole wheat bread, multi-grain bread, challah, potato bread.

Should I olive oil the pan or the bread?

Good question. Why? Because you don’t want to fry the bread. Instead, you want to toast the bread in the pan. To do this, add a quick turn of olive oil in the pan and spread it around. Then, drizzle a but of olive oil on both sides of the bread just to give it moisture. If you are using stale bread, you definitely can’t skip this step! Then, it’s ready for the pan. Make sure the pan is on medium-high heat!

What can I eat with Pan’e Uovo?

Anything you like! I mostly enjoy it with topped with peppers and onions. Sliced avocado would do well here. In the summers, I pile on chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil from the garden. I’ve been known to heat up leftover vegetables from the night before and eat it with a slice of pan’e uovo for breakfast.

What shape should I cut the hole?

I’ve asked myself this same question. Best answer? A triangle. It allows for the egg white and yolk to plop right inside without much movement. This ensures the egg doesn’t cook too fast and become hard boiled. This dish is best enjoyed with a runny egg.

Press play in the video below to see how I make it! Straight from the timestamp.

Have you ever made Pan’e Uovo, or anything like it? Share below!