Fried Egg and Sausage Ciabatta Breakfast Pizzas

I had a LOT of fun making these cut little breakfast pizzas. I found the recipe in the New Bon Appetit magazine and since I am always looking for new ideas on the ol breakfast theme, I thought I would give it a try. Sunny side up eggs were easy to take out of the pan because you let them sit in the pan for a couple of minutes while the pizzas bake. The whole recipe was easy and the end result was fun to eat. I found that picking this contraption up with my fingers was easier to eat then using a knife and fork because Ciabatta bread toasted is a little harder to cut without making a mess out of the egg. Try it and you'll see. I'm terrible in that I love food that I can eat with my fingers. Sushi would be better to me if it were polite to use my fingers because the little molded rice bundles with toppings look perfect for fingers. I don't know if you have guessed by now but chopsticks are still a work in progress! The last time I went to a Japanese restaurant, the room was packed full of people and the group I was with were all seated at a large round table situated in the middle of the restaurant. Food was ordered for me by friends from Japan and, of course, I am all excited and nervous. . .uhmmm, no forks present. Just chopsticks. It's okay, I have the basics down. Food is served and would you believe that it seemed like all the food looked slippery? Yep, first bite I tried to take, the slippery little bugger flew out of my chopsticks and landed several tables away! I didn't know you could feel your face turn each shade of red and for that long! Of course, now everyone is giving me chopstick lessons. . .after they caught their breath from laughing. I have practiced at home since then and I am not overly excited to try these skills anytime soon at another restaurant. Yeesh!

Okay, I am back on track again. Breakfast! I loved this combination because I can change it up for different twists on flavor just like pizza. Being that I absolutely adore cheese, I can see all kinds of different combinations of cheeses being tried on this along with different kinds of meat toppings. I forgot to serve the pizza with hot sauce but then I didn't know any different at the time and loved it!

P.S. . .I cut this recipe in half because there were not 8 people present. Easy to do!

Ingredients:

1 loaf ciabatta bread (about 1 pound)

1 c. chopped green onions

8 T. olive oil, divided

8 ounces sliced hot pepper Monterey Jack Cheese

1 Pound spicy or sweet Italian sausages, casings removed

8 Large eggs

Directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut bread horizontally in half. Place bread halves, cut side up, on sperarate baking sheets. Mix onions and 6 Tablespoons oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve 2 Tablespoons onion oil and spread remaining onion oil over bread. Top with cheese.

Saute' Italian sausages in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, breaking up with spoon, about 7 minutes. Divide sausage among bread halves. Bake pizzas until cheese melts and bread begins to crisp, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tablespoon oil in each of 2 large skillets over medium-high heat. Crack 4 eggs into each skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let eggs stand in skillets while pizzas bake.

Arrange 4 eggs atop each pizza. Spoon reserved onion oil over eggs. Cut each pizza between eggs into 4 pieces. Serve with a little hot sauce.