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Savory Tomato Cinnamon French Toast

Four slices of skillet French toast in a savory tomato-egg custard with a small pinch of cinnamon and black pepper. Serve with plain yogurt and parsley if desired.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 26 minutes
Servings: 2 servings, 2 slices each
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Toast and custard
  • 4 slices sturdy unsweetened white bread, about 160 g total, each about 3/4 inch thick
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup milk, 80 ml
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 15 g; not tomato sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
For the pan and serving
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 60 g, optional
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley, optional

Equipment

  • 12-inch nonstick skillet
  • Shallow baking dish
  • whisk
  • Wide spatula
  • instant-read food thermometer

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Whisk the tomato paste with the milk in a shallow dish until smooth. Add the eggs, cinnamon, pepper, and salt, then whisk until no streaks of egg white remain.
  2. Warm a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter and let the butter melt without browning darkly.
  3. Dip 2 bread slices in the custard for about 15 to 20 seconds per side, adjusting for the bread so it absorbs liquid but still lifts intact. Let the excess drip briefly back into the dish.
  4. Lay the slices in the skillet with space between them. Cook for about 4 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook about 4 minutes on the second side. The surfaces should be golden and the centers set. Check the thickest center from the side: the egg-soaked toast should reach 160°F/71°C.
  5. Transfer to plates. Repeat with the remaining oil, butter, bread, and custard. Lower the heat if the tomato coating darkens before the center cooks; extend the time gently if necessary.
  6. Serve 2 slices per person with yogurt and parsley on the side, if using. Discard any leftover raw-egg custard rather than using it as an uncooked sauce.

Notes

Yield: 2 servings, 2 slices each. Prep: 10 minutes. Cook: 16 minutes. Total: 26 minutes.
Times are planning estimates. See the notes for resting, chilling or cooling time included in the total.
Choose bread that can hold its shape after dipping; soaking time varies with freshness and density. Cinnamon is intentionally limited to 1/8 teaspoon for the whole batch. Contains egg, milk, and wheat. Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly at 40°F/4°C or below and use within 3 days; reheat to 165°F/74°C. The 26-minute total assumes two skillet batches and includes brief dipping during the cooking stage.