Slippery Toad in a Hole

One of the recipes from my children's cook book in progress for the budding chef….

Slipper or “Flip Flop” Toad in a Hole


Olive oil
1 Slice of French bread
1 egg
1 Tablespoon sliced black olives
1/2 to 1Tablespoon grated parmesan (to taste)
a few sprigs of fresh basil
½ teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper

Make sure mom, dad, or an adult friend is supervising you….

Tools: 3 small bowls, a cheese grater, a cutting board, frying pan, kitchen scissors, spatula, and a soup can.

Set your ingredients on the counter in front of you. Line them up in the order listed above. Crack the egg into one bowl, put the olives into the second, and grate the parmesan on to the cutting board and scoop into the third bowl. Cut up the basil leaves with the scissors into slivers like confetti, and put them in the bowl with the parmesan (save a sprig with two leaves for the “toe holds”). Add the paprika to the same bowl, and toss with a fork.

Drizzle about a Tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and heat at medium. Use the soup can to press out a hole in the middle of the piece of bread – keep the round piece. Put the bread in the pan and slide it around a bit. Slip the egg from the bowl into the hole in the bread. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the egg, sprinkle on the olives, and cover with round piece (like a hat). Sprinkle the parmesan mixture over the whole thing. Fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the “hat” doesn’t wiggle any more if you shake the pan a little. If you can use a broiler, put it under it for a minute or two (otherwise just fry it a bit longer). Make sure to watch it closely with oven door slightly open. Use your spatula to put it on a plate. Put the two leaves of basil at one end to make it look like a flip-flop. If you have any left over basil you can sprinkle it around the plate to look fun!

Enjoy!