Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 45 ml olive oil
- 2 large egg, room temperature
- 1 g sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 g red pepper flakes
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 273 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 1 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 266 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 18 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 186 mg
- Potassium
- 86 mg
- Calcium
- 31 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 8 mg
- Phosphorus
- 101 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 91 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 15 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.24 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 24 mcg
- Water
- 38 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and just begins to smoke faintly, reaching approximately 180°C/350°F.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl first, then carefully slide them together into the hot oil. They should sizzle vigorously upon contact.
Tilt the skillet slightly toward you to pool the hot oil. Continually spoon the hot oil over the thickest parts of the egg whites, strictly avoiding the yolks.
Carefully lift the eggs from the oil using a slotted spatula, letting any excess oil drip back into the skillet.
Transfer the eggs to a plate, season generously with sea salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes, then serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Using a high-quality, robust extra virgin olive oil imparts a peppery flavor that perfectly complements the rich egg yolk.
- Because the yolk remains runny, vulnerable populations should use pasteurized in-shell eggs to eliminate the risk of foodborne illness.
- Do not crowd the pan. If cooking for a crowd, use a large cast-iron skillet to maintain the oil temperature, or cook in batches.
Storage
Reheating: Do not reheat. Must be consumed immediately.
Troubleshooting
Eggs stick to the pan
Cause: The pan and oil were not hot enough before the eggs were added
Fix: Use a thin, flexible metal spatula to forcefully scrape underneath the egg
Prevention: Ensure the oil is visibly shimmering and almost smoking before adding the eggs
Yolks become hard and overcooked
Cause: Basting the yolk directly with hot oil or cooking for too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Focus the basting spoon strictly on the thickest ring of white surrounding the yolk
Oil splatters violently
Cause: Excess water on the eggs or pan, or dropping the eggs from too high
Fix: Temporarily reduce heat or use a splatter screen, keeping hands clear
Prevention: Slide eggs gently from a small bowl held close to the oil surface
Cultural Context
Frying eggs in copious amounts of olive oil is a hallmark of Spanish cooking, known as huevos fritos. The resulting lacy, intensely crispy edge is fondly referred to as puntilla, meaning lace, and is highly prized for providing dramatic textural contrast against the liquid yolk.
