This ingenious take on a bacon and fried egg sandwich, which is brushed with the pungent North African chile paste harissa, is chef Isaac Becker's idea of a perfect late-night snack.
Eight 1/2-inch-thick slices best-quality white bread
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons harissa
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and cut each piece in half crosswise.
Arrange the bread on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Fry the eggs over moderate heat until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, about 2 minutes. Season the eggs with salt and pepper.
Spread the harissa on the toasted bread. Top 4 pieces of the bread with the bacon, cilantro and fried eggs. Gently break the yolks, close the sandwiches and serve immediately.
