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¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 large eggs

Unsalted butter, for greasing the baking dish

Streamlined Florentine Sauce (recipe follows)

Salt to taste

Mix the bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, oregano, rosemary, and pepper in a small bowl; set aside.

Poach the eggs according to the recipe for Poached Eggs on section Breakfast and Brunch.

Preheat the broiler. Lightly butter a 9-inch broiler-safe baking dish or casserole; pour the warmed Streamlined Florentine Sauce into it.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to the baking dish, placing them on top of the spinach sauce. (Remove the eggs well before the yolks set; they will be broiled and continue to cook.) Sprinkle the prepared bread crumb mixture over the eggs.

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Looking for breakfast breads? Check out the muffins, English muffins, quick loaves, and raised sticky buns in the bread chapter.

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Broil until the bread crumbs are browned and crisp and the sauce is lightly bubbling at the edges of the dish, about 1 minute. Use a large serving spoon to scoop up the eggs, topping, and sauce, transferring them to individual serving plates. Salt lightly to taste.

Streamlined Florentine Sauce

Makes about ¾ cup

You can also use this simple sauce as a “creamed spinach” side to almost any egg dish—or even as a side to steaks or roast chicken.

One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of any excess moisture

½ cup half-and-half or heavy cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon salt

Place the spinach, half-and-half or cream, melted butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon zest, and salt in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the canister as necessary.

Pour into a small saucepan, set over very low heat, and bring to the first bubble, just heated through, stirring occasionally. Cover and set aside to keep warm.

Variation: Substitute frozen, chopped broccoli for the spinach. Open the package and thaw the broccoli in a colander to remove excess moisture.

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Want hard-boiled eggs for breakfast? Use the technique for hard-cooking eggs in the Deviled Eggs recipe.

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Soft-Boiled Eggs

Soft-boiled eggs cry out for toast: a runny yolk encased by a creamy white. Makes 1 soft-boiled egg

1 large egg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the egg in its shell in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water to a depth of 1 inch. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil.

Cover the pan and set it aside off the heat for 2 minutes for soft centers, 4 minutes for harder ones.

Drain and refresh the egg with lukewarm running water until the shell is warm, not hot.

To serve, crack the small end of the shell with the back of a flatware spoon, peel off the top, and scoop the egg into a bowl; season with salt and pepper and eat at once.

Alternatively, place the egg in an egg cup and use a sharp knife to lop off about ½ inch from the top, season the egg inside with salt and pepper, and use a small spoon to mine the egg from its shell.

Shirred Eggs

Pronounced “sherd eggs,” this British staple requires heat-safe ramekins or custard cups to bake the eggs into a slightly firmer version of poached eggs. Makes 4 shirred eggs

Unsalted butter or nonstick spray, for greasing the ramekins or cups

¼ cup whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream (see Note)

2 tablespoons minced chives or the green part of a scallion

2 tablespoons minced parsley leaves

4 large eggs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F. Lightly butter four 1-cup heatproof custard cups or ramekins or spray them with nonstick spray; set aside.

Warm the milk, half-and-half, or cream in a small saucepan over very low heat until a few puffs of steam come off the surface; do not simmer. Stir in the chives and parsley. Cover and set aside off the