If you are unfamiliar, Joanne Chang is the founder of Flour, a bakery and cafe in Boston (now with 9 locations), which serves a beloved egg sandwich. Unlike traditional egg sandwiches, which typically feature fried or scrambled eggs, Joanne’s calls for a pre-baked egg, made from a mixture of beaten eggs and half-and-half, baked at 300ºF in a covered pan set in a water bath. The combination of the low temperature, the water bath, and the half-and-half creates an egg with a custardy, souffle-like texture, which reheats beautifully. And this is just what Joanne needed: without space to cook eggs to order at the bakery, the pre-baked egg allowed her to include an egg sandwich on her menu. At Flour, the egg gets reheated to order with a slice of cheddar on top, and it’s served on a focaccia roll spread with dijonnaise, a mixture of mayonnaise and mustard, along with a slow-cooked tomato and bacon (if you wish). It’s a spectacular combination and not only is it easy to make at home, it’s so nice to make at home. Why? Because with a stash of these egg squares on hand, a quick meal can materialize in no time. As many of you know, I’m not much of a meal prepper. I make salad dressings in large batches and sauces ahead of time, but I have never been disciplined enough to spend weekends making meals for the week ahead. But this I can do. Over the years, I’ve made Joanne’s recipe many times, but I find myself making it most often during particularly frazzled times: when we renovated our kitchen, for example, or throughout hockey season or, as in this past week, in an effort to lighten the load at home while I’m away. Another bonus of the pre-baked egg? Egg sandwiches for a crowd. Place the egg squares on a sheet pan, each with a slice of cheese on top, and heat in the oven with the bun of choice — I like brioche buns — alongside. When the cheese is melty and the buns are toasty, remove, assemble, and serve.
Flour Bakery’s Egg Sandwiches, Step by Step
Gather your ingredients: eggs, salt, half-and-half. Whisk together the eggs and salt first. Then add the half-and-half and whisk to combine. Transfer to a buttered 8- or 9-inch baking dish. Set the pan in a 9×13-inch pan (or something similar) and … … pour boiling water into the large pan to reach 1/2- to 1-inch up the sides. Carefully transfer to a 300ºF oven, cover with a sheet pan, and bake for 25-35 minutes or… … until the custard is set. Cut into 6 roughly equal rectangles. To make the egg sandwiches, place a slice of cheese over an egg rectangle on an oven-safe dish and transfer to the oven until… … the cheese is melted. I love a toasted brioche bun for this egg sandwich. Assemble your sandwich with garnishes of choice: Note: When I’m really on my game, I’ll make the brioche rolls from scratch. I always, however, have a stash of store-bought brioche in the freezer, because they’re quite good and so nice to have on hand for these sandwiches. I love the simplicity of greens, lightly dressed with oil and vinegar, on this sandwich. As noted in the post, a slow-cooked tomato or bacon (or avocado or anything your heart desires) would all be great additions here. Store the baked egg slices in an airtight vessel in the fridge for up to 1 week. It is so nice having a stash of these eggs on hand for quick meals. Here they are on homemade buns with roasted red peppers and pea shoots. 4.9 from 9 reviews
Notes:
A few changes from the original recipe:
Shorter cooking time: I find 25-30 minutes (as opposed to 40 minutes) to be about right. Do rely on visual cues, however, as every oven is different. No pepper or thyme in the eggs (not because I don’t like them but because the recipe calls for adding them after 20 minutes of baking, which has always felt a little fussy). I cut the egg custard into 6 pieces as opposed to 4.
Salt: I always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you are using Morton’s kosher salt or fine sea salt use half the amount by volume (1/2 teaspoon) or the same amount by weight (5 grams).
