Skillet Egg-in-a-Hole with Avocado, Asparagus, and Feta

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and stalks cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
• Pinch of dried red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 slices of bread, wheat, brioche or pullman with a 2-inch round cut out of the center with a biscuit cutter or small cup
• 2 eggs
• 1 ripe Hass avocado, cubed
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Lemon wedges, for serving
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving, optional

Directions

1. Warm the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Stir in the shallots, add salt and pepper, and cook until they soften, about 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and chili flakes, then cook until the asparagus picks up a little color, 4 to 5 minutes. Take the skillet off the heat and transfer the asparagus to warm serving plates.
2. Set the skillet back over medium heat and add the butter, tilting the pan so it melts and coats the surface. Lay in the bread, then crack an egg into each cutout. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until the underside is golden, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully turn the bread and eggs, then season again with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and continue cooking until the whites are set, about 2 minutes longer.
3. Arrange the egg toasts on top of the asparagus. Scatter the avocado over them, add the feta, squeeze lemon juice over the plates, and finish with olive oil if you’re using it.