Soft melty brie wraps around a wholesome duck egg, in this perfectly crispy-crusted panini. Pesto takes it all right over the top.
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I’ve been thinking about sharing this sandwich with you for a while now, but I kept stopping myself because somehow a sandwich didn’t seem worthy of being called “a recipe”.
Today though, I was thinking about how something as small as trying a different sandwich at lunchtime can just make a whole day a little bit happier. And this sandwich is definitely a happiness-maker.
So I finally got off my tush to take some pictures of one of our favorite duck egg sandwiches.
Personally, I love egg sandwiches of just about any kind, but my husband does not at all share my affinity for them. So the fact that he really loves this duck egg panini means it’s truly got some extra special magic.
It’s also really easy to make, and you don’t need a panini maker. One of these years, I might make room in my cabinets for a machine dedicated to making perfectly crunchy, hot, crispy-edged sandwiches.
For the time being though, I make these in my old Wagner no. 8 cast iron skillet – and they come out wonderfully.
It honestly doesn’t take much weight to make a good panini. You just want the bread’s surface to be as much in contact with the pan as possible to give it that crispy outside. A little bit of weight will do it. I use a small saucepan with a full half-pint mason jar sitting in it, and that amount of weight works well. Use what you have at hand, and you’ll find something that works well.
Don’t let a lack of a panini-maker keep you from making panini!
When I’m eating alone, I tend to make duck egg panini sandwiches really on the runny side. I don’t mind a messy sandwich! I cook my duck egg just barely past over-easy, and use in the sandwich that way.
If I’m making these for my husband or kids, they like their sandwiches more on the tidy side. As I’m putting the egg in the pan, I nick the egg yolk to break it, and then cook it somewhere between over medium and over hard. Breaking the yolk helps it to cook more quickly, so the white doesn’t over-cook and get rubbery while waiting for the yolk to firm up.
Messy or tidy, these sandwiches are pretty great either way. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Duck egg, Pesto & Brie Panini
Equipment
- Panini maker or frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 duck egg
- 2 slices bread (sourdough is amazing in this sandwich!)
- 1 tbsp pesto
- 1 ounce brie
- 1 tsp butter
- 2 tsp butter or olive oil for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Start by frying the duck egg. Leaving the center a little runny makes for an incredible, if slightly messy, sandwich. If you like the yolk to be fully cooked, nicking the yolk with the edge of the shell to break it, can help the yolk to cook more quickly without overcooking the white.
- Now build the sandwich. Spread one side of the bread with the pesto. Lay on the duck egg. Cover with the sliced brie. Lightly butter the second piece of bread, and lay it on top of the brie.
- If you're using a panini maker, cook according to instructions.
- To make this sandwich in a pan, start by greasing the pan well with butter or olive oil, ans warming over medium heat.
- When the pan is hot, add the panini. Carefully weight it down just a bit, using a smaller pan, or a plate. It doesn't take much weight to make a good panini, you just want the bread's surface to be as much in contact with the pan as possible to give it that crispy outside. A little bit of weight will do it.
- Just as the cheese is barely starting to melt (this takes about 3 minutes for me), go ahead and carefully flip the sandwich. Replace whatever you're using for weight. When the cheese is well melted, and the bottom bread has nicely crisped, the panini is done. This usually takes a little less time than cooking the first side – about 2 minutes for me. Enjoy!
Nutrition
If you liked this post, you may enjoy:
✦ Easy Einkorn Brioche
✦ Fresh Strawberry Breakfast Ideas
✦ Duck Egg Mayonnaise
✦ Salted Maple Honey Caramels
✦ 18 Amazing Fruit Leather Recipes
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