Book Club Breakfast Recipe

Make pesto

In a small food processor or blender combine basil leaves, grated Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic clove, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse to a coarse paste. With the motor running, drizzle in the 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil until emulsified and smooth but still slightly textured. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside. Taste and adjust salt/lemon if necessary.

Preheat and wilt spinach

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease four 6-oz ramekins (or one 8x8-inch baking dish if making family style) with a little olive oil or cooking spray. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped spinach and a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of salt and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 1 minute.

Combine egg whites and feta

In a medium bowl, whisk the 8 egg whites lightly just to combine. Stir in the wilted spinach and the crumbled feta cheese (reserve a small sprinkle of feta for the tops if desired). Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and mix until evenly distributed.

Fill ramekins and bake

Divide the egg white mixture evenly among the prepared ramekins (or pour into the baking dish). Place a couple of tomato slices on top of each filled ramekin, and sprinkle the reserved feta on top. Transfer ramekins to the oven and bake until egg whites are set and slightly puffed, about 15–18 minutes for individual ramekins or 18–22 minutes for a single dish. To check, the centers should be firm and no longer jiggly.

Finish and cool briefly

Remove ramekins from oven and let sit 2 minutes to settle. Use a small spatula to loosen edges if needed. While the egg whites finish, proceed to toast the english muffins.

Toast English muffins

Split the 4 English muffins and toast them in a toaster or under a broiler until golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes. If using butter, spread about 1/2 tablespoon butter on each muffin half while still warm.

Spread pesto

Spread about 1 tablespoon of the prepared basil pesto on the bottom half of each toasted English muffin (reserve a little pesto for drizzling).

Top with baked egg whites and tomato

Using a spoon or small spatula, lift the baked egg white rounds from the ramekins (or slice from the baking dish) and place one on each pesto-faced muffin bottom. Top each egg with an additional tomato slice if desired. Spoon a small drizzle (~1/2 tsp) of pesto over the tomato for extra flavor and finish with a few fresh basil leaves and a light pinch of red pepper flakes if using.

Serve

Cover with the muffin tops and serve warm. These sandwiches are best eaten the day they are made; refrigerate leftovers (unassembled) for up to 2 days and reheat gently.