What’s your favorite birthday breakfast?

Tomatoes and eggs are a perfect match for a midsummer breakfast

People of the world, what is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? In many parts of the world, breakfast is a really important meal…and in others, you might just have a coffee or tea. It all depends on the time of year, the occasion, where you are, what you have in your kitchen, and how hungry you are…!

Well, my birthday is on Sunday, and I think birthdays are a perfect day to have whatever you want to eat for breakfast. Maybe you are a pancake person (even better, an olive oil pancake person)? Maybe you want something sweet, like a xuxo, or something savory, like a delicious omelet full of your favorite vegetables and cheese. Remember last year I told you what I loved to eat for lunch as a kid on my birthday…my mother used to make me sandwiches for a celebration at the park, some of them with ham and cheese, some of them with Nocilla, Spain’s version of Nutella.

I think your birthday is a perfect reason to go on a food adventure and taste something new, but I also think there is something comforting in familiar flavors, and in treating the most perfect, in-season ingredients with a lot of love. Of course, because I am usually in Spain during the summers, one of the best things to have for breakfast is tomates con huevos fritos—the most amazing, juicy, ripe tomatoes you can find, seasoned with a little sea salt and olive oil, and top them with very fresh eggs fried in olive oil (because we have the best olive oil in Spain, right?). It is beautiful to see on a plate, with the bright rainbow of tomatoes and the bright gold of the egg yolk, and it is simple and delicious. It still amazes me that a plate of food can bring you to such a place of happiness. That’s what this dish does for me.

Tell me, what do you want for breakfast on your birthday?

As a little gift today, here’s a simple recipe for all of you…if you want to pass the gift along, share it with a friend!

Tomates con huevos fritos
Serves 4

8 fresh eggs
2 pounds heirloom tomatoes
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Maldon sea salt, to taste
Crusty bread, for serving

Peel the tomatoes: bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the tomatoes for about 30 seconds, then remove and place in an ice bath. The tomato skins should peel off easily. Set aside, allowing excess water and liquid to drain. Cut into wedges and divide them evenly among four plates, seasoning with the sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

In a small saute pan, heat 1 cup of olive oil until it starts to smoke.

Crack the first egg and put it in a small ramekin, which will make it easy to contain when you drop it into the oil for frying. You can prepare many eggs this way to speed up the process.

Add the first egg to the pan and carefully cover it with the olive oil. Allow it to fry for 40 seconds to 1 minute, or until the edges of the egg become crispy and golden brown. Remove the egg from the oil with a slotted spoon, and place on a plate with a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining eggs.

Add the eggs on top of the tomatoes—two eggs per plate. Season with more sea salt and olive oil and serve with crusty bread.