I can’t recall where I first learned about toast soldiers for dipping into soft boiled eggs but I remember thinking it was genius. My family did it a bit differently. Instead of boring plain toast, my mother would make a grilled cheese of sorts and cut them up into soldiers for egg dipping. She would use a panini press to make sure the toast was super flat. Some of the cheese would ooze out and get crispy on the panini press which was the best part. Yums.
I’ve made a slightly spicy version here with fresh schug, sharp provolone, and salty feta cheese. Schug is a spicy herb paste used in Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s usually made with cilantro, parsley, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Here I decided to go with just cilantro and a mild to medium spicy long hot pepper to give just a hint of heat. If you love heat, use a jalapeño! Schug can be used as a hot sauce on anything really.
I used Rubschlager square breads, or cocktail breads for minis. They are perfect; thin and dense enough to hold all that cheese! I love a good pumpernickel or rye bread for this. Once slathered with butter and pressed in a grill pan, the bread transforms to be crispy on the outside and still soft in the middle which is what you need for toast soldiers; sturdy to hold its shape but soft enough to soak up all that egg yolk! I used one slice of rye and one slice of pumpernickel. Love the contrast there. But feel free to use one or the other! I really do love this bread. You can find them at Whole Foods and a ton of other grocery stores. I made both large guys and itty bitty little cocktail sized ones because everything is better when it’s mini!!!
Also, #yolkporn. Ammmiright?
Dippy Eggs & Spicy Feta Provolone Soldiers
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
THE THINGS
SCHUG
½ bunch cilantro
1 long green hot pepper or jalapeño with seeds removed
2 cloves garlic
¼ tsp cumin
pinch of salt
2-3 tbsp cool water
DIPPY EGGS
4 – 8 large eggs
SPICY FETA PROVOLONE SOLDIERS
Schug
8 slices Rubschlager Westphalian Style Pumpernickel and/or Danish Style Pumpernickel and/or Jewish style Deli Rye SQUARES
1/2 – 2/3 cup shredded sharp provolone
1/4 – 1/2 cup crumbled Bulgarian feta cheese
butter, room temperature, for toasting
THE WAY
FOR THE SCHUG: Pulse the cilantro, hot pepper, garlic, cumin, salt, and cool water in a food processor until finely chopped and paste like. Set aside
FOR THE DIPPY EGGS: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and prepare a bowl full of ice water. Gently drop the eggs into the boiling water taking care not to let them hit the bottom hard. Boil the eggs for exactly 6 minutes. Immediately transfer the eggs to the ice bath. Allow to cool for 3 minutes, remove the eggs from the ice bath.
FOR THE SPICY FETA PROVOLONE SOLDIERS: Slather one side of each toast with 1 – 2 tablespoons of schug. Pile about 2 tablespoons of shredded provolone and about 1 tablespoon of feta cheese onto each toast. Top with other slice of bread. Slather both outer sides of each sandwich with lots of butter.
Heat a grill pan or Panini pan over medium-low heat. Grill the sandwiches for about 2 minutes for each side, pressing them down to toast as flat as possible.
Remove the tops from the soft-boiled eggs, slice the toast into 5 soldiers per sandwich and serve immediately with salt and pepper. Dip and enjoy!
THIS POST WAS SPONSORED BY RUBSCHLAGER! THANK YOU!
