Fetes me Psomi kai Avgo
Φέτες με Ψωμί και Αυγό·(fe-tes me pso-mi ke av-go)
Proino & Dekatiano (The Morning Rhythms)
Slice the day-old country loaf. Soak it in a shallow bowl of beaten eggs. Drop it into the skillet. Avgofetes are born of necessity and speed—a zero-waste resurrection of stale bread shallow-fried in sizzling olive oil. Skip the milk. Dairy proteins scorch in hot oil. A splash of water thins the egg wash just enough to create a golden-blonde crust that shatters under your teeth. Pull it from the pan, breathe in the toasted yeast, and eat alongside a briki of coffee.
Ingredients
- large eggs4 large
- water2 tbsp
- kosher salt1/4 tsp
- stale rustic bread6 slices
- extra-virgin olive oil1/4 cup
- feta cheese4 oz
- kalamata olives1/4 cup
- granulated sugar2 tbsp
- ground cinnamon1 tsp
- Greek thyme honey2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Whisk the eggs, water, and salt until completely uniform.
The water is the non-negotiable secret here. It thins the egg to coat the bread without making it heavy, and prevents the rapid scorching associated with milk proteins.
- 02
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
You want a shallow pool about an eighth of an inch deep. It should be hot but not smoking; a breadcrumb dropped in should sizzle and dance instantly.
- 03
Quickly dip the bread into the egg wash.
Do not let it soak. Three or four seconds per side is all you need. Any longer and the bread will disintegrate and become unbearably greasy in the pan.
- 04
Fry until golden brown and crispy.
Carefully lay the coated bread into the hot oil. Cook for two to three minutes until the bottom is an even golden-blonde, then flip and fry for another two minutes.
- 05
Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
Serve while the oil is still glistening on the crust, splitting the batch into sweet and savory preparations depending on who is sitting at the table.
Notes
Choose your path: sweet or savory.
Serve savory with a sharp slab of feta, fresh tomatoes, and olives. Or go sweet with a heavy dusting of cinnamon-sugar and thyme honey while the bread is still piping hot.
The bread matters, but do not overthink it.
A day-old country loaf is ideal, but thousands of Greek-American mothers made these in the 80s using standard supermarket sandwich bread. Just be extra careful with the dip—one second per side is all you need for soft bread.
From Cook Greek in America.