I daydream about food countless times a day; but there are special instances when an idea gets stuck in my head and I cannot think about anything else until that idea has yielded a tangible result I can sink my teeth into.
Such was the case with this breakfast Panini.
The thought of combining a slightly runny fried egg with spiced sweet potato “hash”, gooey sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh scallions in a pressed sandwich completely outweighed plans for any other meal until this beauty was sitting in front of me.
I actually ate this Panini for dinner – not breakfast as the title suggests – but it would be perfect for any meal. I could probably eat it three times in one day, it’s that good!
Breakfast Panini
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Keywords: grill vegetarian bread sweet potatoes eggs cheese
Ingredients (1 panino)
- 1/2 small sweet potato, scrubbed, dried, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- 1/4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste: paprika, garlic & onion powder, cayenne, Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp butter or Earth Balance Buttery Spread, divided use
- 1 large egg, preferably organic
- 2 slices whole grain bread
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- thin slices 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (4-6 if from a block of cheese; 2 if from the deli)
- ketchup for serving, if desired
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Toss sweet potato round with olive oil and spices. Lay out in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake until soft and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
Preheat panini press.
Heat 1/2 tsp butter in a non-stick skillet set over medium-high heat. Crack egg into skillet and cook according to your preference (sunny side up, over easy, etc.).
Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread using the remaining 1 tsp butter; lay the buttered sides down on a clean surface. Lay the cooked sweet potato slices onto one slice of bread. Layer on the cooked egg, sliced green onion, and cheddar. Top with other slice of bread, buttered side facing out.
Place the assembled sandwich into the panini press (alternately, you can cook the sandwich in a skillet grilled cheese style) and cook until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown.
Nutritional information will vary depending on type of bread and amount of cheese used.
