How to make a perfect fried egg in few simple steps

Fried eggs seem trivial and simple to make but in fact they are one of the most difficult dishes to be carried out properly because its molecules tend to break quickly and so the end result can be anything but perfect. A good fried egg can be made methodically but it’s necessary to respect the basic directions to cook it uniformly. The French chef Fernand Point developed a proper recipe at his three Michelin Star rated restaurant La Pyramide which involves slowly cook the eggs in butter.

Adapting his recipe here a few rules to make a perfect fried egg:

1. Use a non stick frying pan where to drop a teaspoon of oil for each egg to be cooked and warm it without burn it;
2. Lay the egg into the pan when the oil starts to sizzle: if you open it before the oil is sizzling the risk is that it will come apart and if you open it after the final result may be an egg burned outside and raw inside;
3. Cook the egg for a maximum of 5 minutes or the time necessary for the egg to arrive at the recommended temperature of 60-62 degrees when the egg white is firm and the yolk is slightly compact at the bottom and soft above;
4. Add salt and seasoning only at the end to prevent the egg white, in contact with other “agents”, fails to clot properly.
5. To check the consistency of the egg shake the pan slightly: if the yolk is liquid it will move otherwise it will remain stationary. The proper fried egg provides a very firm egg white and a yolk with a a liquid surface.

After having applied these simple rules your fried egg will be perfect and you will be able to overcome the spatula test: just move the egg with a punctured spatula directly into the pan to realize its consistency and its estate.

Once prepared you can accompany and fill the egg in the way you like the best: grilled vegetables, bread, a salad or, as I did, with some parmesan shavings.

What you need to make your perfect fried egg

1 egg
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese
tomatoes
Green salad

How to make the perfect fried egg

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan or a cast iron then, when hot at the right point, gently break the egg in half.
2. Cook the egg for about 5 minutes over medium-low heat to avoid burning below.
3. When almost cooked, sprinkle the egg with the cooking oil using a spoon then season with salt and pepper. With a spatula lift the egg out of the pan, lay it on a plate and sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese shavings. Serve immediately with a green salad and tomatoes.

Preparation time: about 5 minutes

[Pics by Giuseppe Milo]