Technique Spotlight: Perfectly Round Fried Eggs for Bagel Sandwiches

Hello Newsletter Fam,

A few weeks ago, I launched a semi-regular newsletter column called Technique Spotlight in the hopes of demystifying some of Jewish cuisine’s more complicated dishes, and sharing cooking tricks and tips that are best communicated over video.

This week’s technique spotlight is a biggie, or at least I think so! On the subject of “what I make when it’s too hot to cook,” bagels with cream cheese (or tuna salad, or peanut butter and sliced banana, or tomato and avocado, or…) are one of my summertime staples.

Fried eggs make an ideal bagel topping, but I’ve always disliked how the whites flop out of the sides of the bagel. Those rubbery egg wisps make the sandwich harder to eat, and leave streaks of oil on your chin. That’s just too much chaos for a sandwich!

Here is what you *don’t* want in a fried egg that is destined for a bagel.

One recent morning, I had a lightbulb moment about how to make a perfectly round, wisp-free fried egg that will stay in place on the bagel. It’s an incredibly simple, “why didn’t I think of that?” hack that makes a huge difference. And I am willing to bet that you already have the *secret tool* you need to make them sitting in a kitchen drawer.

I used a store-bought sesame bagel in the video. But if you really want to bring brunch to the next level, nestle your fried egg between these Shallot and Chive-Stuffed Bagels, which ranks as one of my top 5 favorite recipes I have developed over the years.

Let me know what other Jewishly-inspired cooking techniques you’d like me to break down in future videos. (Challah braiding? Slicing brisket? Homemade halvah? I’m all ears!)

And if you make a bagel and egg sammie using the technique below, I would love to see your creations on Instagram (tag @leah.koenig)!

Perfectly Round Fried Eggs for Bagel Sandwiches

Here’s how you do it: