The Briny Lemon: Pancetta and Poached Egg Open-Faced Sandwiches

If you’ve never poached an egg, now is the time to do it. It’s much easier than you may think, and the luscious runny yolk spilling down this open-faced sandwich will have you wanting to poach again and again.

Most poaching recipes call for adding an acidic to the simmering water—typically, vinegar or lemon juice—to help the egg whites form and hold together during cooking. It’s not absolutely necessary, but it’s a very small, simple step, so why not? I like to use lemon juice. If you choose vinegar, use a lighter bodied one without strong flavor, such as white or white wine varieties.

For other open-faced sandwiches, check out Open-Faced Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches and Open-Faced Beef Sandwiches with Red Wine Mushrooms.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 English muffin, split and toasted
1-1/2 oz cream cheese
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 lb thinly sliced pancetta
2 small green leaf lettuce leaves
4 thin slices roma or compari tomatoes
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 fresh, large eggs
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Sandwich Ingredients

Preparation

Lay the muffin slices on a work surface and spread each with 1/2 the cream cheese.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook until just cooked through and crispy around the edges, 6-7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Divide the pancetta on the muffin halves.
Top the pancetta with lettuce leaves and 2 tomato slices each.
Crack each egg into a small bowl. Fill a deep skillet with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a rapid simmer and stir in the lemon juice. Reduce to a low simmer.
One at a time, hold each bowl just above the water and gently tip the egg into it. Turn off the heat immediately and cover the pan. Poach the eggs until the whites are just set and yolks are still runny, 3 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to lift each egg from the water, holding paper towels against the bottom of the spoon to help drain the water away from the egg.