“The Oracle” — that’s what my (currently on strike) actor friend Brynn Baron calls the morning ritual she developed when newly single and singularly devoid of funds. It’s a little personal fortune-telling based on whether she has properly cooked her eggs and garnished them with panache.
“Eggs were the only protein I could afford,” she told me, “So the egg became a perfect metaphor for how my day was going, how mindful I could be, how creative I could be. Here was this one thing that I could control, a window into the happiness ahead of me, over something very simple and available to anyone.”
This particular pursuit of happiness appeals to a lot of people, it turns out — about 10 million on TikTok and over 19 million on Instagram — since food writer and recipe developer Grace Elkus posted her viral recipe: the resplendent, chile spiked, crisp-edged, self-saucing Feta Fried Eggs.
Elkus was initially enamored of cookbook author Ali Slagle’s crispy potato, egg and cheese taco recipe from “I Dream of Dinner,” and credits Slagle with the ring-around-the-skillet method of egg-frying. But, one day, Elkus didn’t have a potato and improvised with feta. She soon found herself having a feta fried egg every day for lunch and wanted to share the love.
“The response has been incredible,” she tells me, gratified that people have found inspiration for a home-cooked meal from her video even when time and money are short. “Some people have said they saw it on TikTok and literally got up from the couch to make it right then, with things they had on hand. It’s what I was hoping for.”
Because it’s ripe for creative improv, there’s a burgeoning number of different versions, from Elkus’ pesto-by-request to Kitchn’s chili crisp and rice.
“Everyone can jazz it up to their preference,” Elkus says, adding that it will work with a variety of different sauces and cheeses. “I tried it once over pasta, just blistered some cherry tomatoes, used the same pan to fry the egg and mixed it all up with some spaghetti. The yolk coated the noodles.”
On Aug. 7, Dylan Dreyer, Craig Melvin, Jacob Soboroff and Arianna Davis tried the dish on the 3rd Hour of TODAY.
“Oh, wow,” said Dylan, “And then the yolk is the sauce.”
“Oh, that's delicious,” decided Jacob.
“I would eat this for breakfast or dinner,” said Arianna.
“I feel like you could use different kinds of cheese, too,” noted Craig.
It looks easy, and after my recent chickles (cheesy fried pickles) experiments, I’m a seasoned cheese-fryer. (Am I going to call these “cheggs”? F-egg-eta bout it!) Still, a perfectly fried egg can be a difficult thing, subject to our equipment, our skills, our distractions. When Baron’s Oracle goes wrong in my own kitchen, alas, it’s as though all of life is rubbery and dry. But, when the stars align, what glory! The white edges are tender, the yolk a color the sun can only dream of makes its own luxurious sauce, and surely good fortune will shine the rest of the day.
I’m feeling lucky. Let’s greenlight this project and get cracking!
Despite some freshly charred hatch peppers, a sublime avocado hot sauce and my best efforts, my first attempt isn’t quite as splendid as I hoped. The cheese is still gooey instead of crisp, yet the yolk is on the wrong side of saucy, solidly in jammy territory.
What went wrong? Unlike a lot of food influencers, Elkus is an experienced test kitchen troubleshooter, so she passed along her top tips.
First, she advises setting the burner to medium and letting the pan preheat before adding the 1/3 cup of cheese. It should be hot enough to sizzle when you flick a few drops of feta brine or water onto the surface. As soon as the feta starts to melt enough to spread, crack the egg into the center.
Second, as soon as you’ve seasoned with black pepper and chile flakes, put a lid on the pan to ensure the white cooks on top. It’s helpful to use a clear lid, but if you don’t have one, Elkus says not to be afraid to lift the cover and check on progress. It won’t make or break the dish.
Third, if you see the cheese is browned but the white isn’t quite set, take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for a few minutes. The residual heat will finish the egg without burning the cheese. When it’s done, Elkus advises using the thinnest spatula you have and starting to lift the egg out of the pan at the crispiest edge.
Lastly, Elkus says, “Don’t give up!” It might take a couple of tries to find the best setting for your stove, depending on what kind of cheese you’re using, and how firm you like your sunny-siders. Add a little oil to your skillet if it lacks in the nonstick department. Try preparing your other components first, so you can focus on the star of the show, and with a little practice, you’ll have a five-minute dinner that’s ready for a close-up!