Sujuk and Egg Breakfast Sandwich on Turkish Pide

Name: Sujuk and Egg Breakfast Sandwich on Turkish Pide
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 26 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 1 loaf (about 24 inches/60 cm) (400 g) Turkish pide bread, cut into 4 equal pieces (about 6 inches/15 cm), each split horizontally like a pocket or sandwich; 7 oz (200 g) beef sujuk sausage, casing removed, sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds; 4 whole (200 g) large eggs, cold, cracked into 2 small bowls (2 per bowl); 4 oz (115 g) kashar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 cup packed); 1 medium (180 g) ripe medium tomato, cored and cut into 8 thin slices; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil; freshly ground black pepper, to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) Aleppo pepper (pul biber), for sprinkling (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Spiced beef sujuk is crisped in its own rendered fat, then used to fry sunny eggs that are tucked into warm, toasted pide with melty kashar cheese, juicy tomato and fresh parsley. A hearty, savory breakfast ready in about 25 minutes.

Prep: 12 min
Cook: 14 min
Wait: 1 min
Total: 27 min
Makes: 4 sandwiches

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Ingredients

4 servings

1 loaf (about 24 inches/60 cm) (400 g) Turkish pide bread, cut into 4 equal pieces (about 6 inches/15 cm), each split horizontally like a pocket or sandwich
7 oz (200 g) beef sujuk sausage, casing removed, sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds
4 whole (200 g) large eggs, cold, cracked into 2 small bowls (2 per bowl)
4 oz (115 g) kashar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 cup packed)
1 medium (180 g) ripe medium tomato, cored and cut into 8 thin slices
¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ tsp (1 g) Aleppo pepper (pul biber), for sprinkling (optional)

Equipment (6)

12-inch (30 cm) nonstick or cast-iron skillet with a lid
Instant-read thermometer
Serrated bread knife
Cutting board
Spatula
Plate lined with paper towels

Steps

Before you start

Sujuk is salty and spicy, so taste before adding any extra salt to the eggs.
Grate the kashar cheese and slice the tomato and sujuk before you turn on the stove; the cooking goes quickly.
Pide is sold as one large loaf. Cut it into 4 equal pieces (about 6 inches/15 cm each) before you begin.
Have a plate lined with paper towels and an instant-read thermometer ready; the sujuk should reach 160°F (71°C) inside.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Cut the pide into 4 pieces about 6 inches (15 cm) long and slice each open horizontally, leaving one long edge attached like a book.
- Grate the kashar, slice the tomato into 8 thin slices, chop the parsley, and slice the sujuk (casing removed) into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds.
- Crack 2 eggs into each of 2 small bowls, keeping yolks intact.
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Ready when: Everything is prepped and within arm's reach of the stove.
Tip: Cracking eggs into bowls first lets you slide them gently into the pan so the yolks don't break.
2
Crisp the sujuk
- Set a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat and add the sujuk slices in a single layer (work in two batches if they overlap).
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, flipping once, until the edges are deep brown and the slices have released their red fat.
- Check a thick slice with an instant-read thermometer; it must read at least 160°F (71°C).
- Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
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Ready when: Slices are browned at the edges, slightly crisp, and sizzling, the pan has a thin layer of red fat, and the thickest slice reads 160°F (71°C).
Tip: Don't use high heat; the spices in sujuk scorch quickly and turn bitter.
3
Fry the eggs
- Return the pan to medium-low heat.
- If there is less than 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan, add the olive oil; otherwise add just 1 teaspoon.
- Slide in all 4 eggs from the bowls, spacing them apart.
- Season with black pepper only.
- Cook uncovered for 2 minutes, then cover with the lid and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
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Ready when: Whites are fully opaque and set, edges are lightly crisp, and the yolks are still glossy and jiggle slightly. For firm yolks, cook 1 minute longer.
Tip: Skip extra salt: the sujuk fat and cheese already season the eggs well.
4
Melt the cheese
- Turn off the heat.
- Use a spatula to push the eggs to one side if needed, or lift them onto a plate.
- Divide the grated kashar into 4 portions and scatter one portion over each egg.
- Cover the pan for 45 to 60 seconds to let the cheese soften and melt.
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Ready when: Cheese is slumped and glossy, with edges beginning to melt into the egg whites.
5
Toast the pide
- Wipe out the skillet if there are burnt bits, then heat it over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Place the pide pieces cut-side down and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, working in batches as needed.
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Ready when: Cut surfaces are golden and crisp with light brown spots, and the bread feels warm.
Tip: If the pan is dry, leave any fat residue; it flavors the bread, no extra oil needed.
6
Assemble and serve
- On the bottom half of each pide, layer 2 tomato slices, a quarter of the crisp sujuk, and one cheesy egg.
- Sprinkle with the parsley and Aleppo pepper if using, add a little black pepper, and close with the top half.
- Press gently and serve immediately.
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Ready when: Sandwich is warm throughout, with the cheese still melty and the yolk soft when bitten.
Tip: Eat right away; the pide softens and the yolk cools if the sandwiches sit.

Good to know

Tips

Pat the tomato slices dry with a paper towel so they don't make the bread soggy.
Choose a firm, dry-cured or semi-dry sujuk that slices cleanly; very soft sausage crumbles in the pan.
For a runnier yolk, skip the lid in step 3 and melt the cheese with a brief 30-second cover instead; note that runny yolks are not fully cooked.
Serve with Turkish tea and sliced cucumbers or olives for a classic breakfast spread.

Make ahead

Slice the sujuk, grate the cheese, and chop the parsley up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate separately in covered containers. Cook the eggs and assemble just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten immediately. Cooked sujuk keeps in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until steaming hot (165°F/74°C). Assembled sandwiches can be refrigerated up to 1 day and reheated wrapped in foil in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 minutes, though the yolk will be fully set. Not recommended for freezing once assembled; uncooked sujuk slices freeze up to 2 months.

Substitutions

beef sujuk sausage → Spicy beef sausage, pastirma, or merguez. Cook fresh sausages such as merguez until they reach 160°F (71°C); pastirma needs only 1 to 2 minutes.
kashar cheese → Low-moisture mozzarella or mild provolone. Use the same weight; both melt similarly.
Turkish pide bread → Ciabatta rolls or a soft baguette. Cut into 6-inch (15 cm) lengths and toast the same way.
Aleppo pepper (pul biber) → Red pepper flakes. Use a little less, about ¼ teaspoon, as they are hotter.