Birds in a Nest with Peppers and Sausage
- 1 large red cubanelle frying pepper or red bell pepper
- 1 small red chile pepper, such as fresno, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided, plus more for drizzling
- 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 5 to 6 cups arugula
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 4 slices 1-inch-thick peasant bread
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large clove garlic, sliced
- 4 eggs
Preheat the broiler. Broil the frying pepper (or bell pepper) on a broiler pan, turning occasionally, until blackened all over (alternatively, char over a gas flame on the stovetop). Transfer to a bowl, cover and let cool for a couple of minutes then peel away charred skin. Slice the peppers.
In a bowl, combine the chopped chile and vinegar. Season with salt.
In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Form the sausage meat into 4 thin patties and cook through in the skillet, turning once, 6-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet and reserve.
In a large bowl, dress the arugula with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons EVOO; season with salt and pepper. Top with the cheese.
Cut a 1 1/2-inch hole in the center of the bread slices. In the reserved skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO and the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute; discard the garlic. Add the bread; season with salt. Fry until golden, then flip.
Crack an egg into each bread hole. Top with a few drops of the chile vinegar and a few slices of roasted pepper strapped across the raw eggs. Loosely cover the pan with foil to set the eggs, about 1 minute. Flip the toast again and cook for 1 minute, then flip back, pepper side up.
To serve, slide the egg toasts onto plates. Serve with a sausage patty and the arugula salad alongside.