Za’atar Breakfast Loafers with Feta Pipework and Chili-Honey Eggs

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds (680 g)Sweet potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 teaspoon, dividedFine salt
• 1, plus 4 for servingLarge egg
• 1/2 cup (30 g)Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoonsZa’atar
• 1/2 teaspoonGround cumin
• 1/4 teaspoonBlack pepper
• 4 tablespoons, dividedOlive oil
• 3/4 cup (180 g)Plain Greek yogurt
• 4 ounces (115 g)Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 tablespoonLemon juice
• 1 small cloveGarlic, finely grated
• 1 mediumEnglish cucumber
• 2 tablespoonsHoney
• 1/2 teaspoonRed pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoonsFresh dill, roughly chopped
• 2Scallions, thinly sliced
• 4, for servingLemon wedges

MAKE IT

Method

1. 01

   Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large sheet pan with parchment. Announce that the Footwear Department is now accepting reservations.

2. 02

   Toss the grated sweet potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let them stand for 10 minutes, then squeeze them very thoroughly in a clean kitchen towel. Extract the moisture with the authority of a customs officer confiscating an illegal lake.

3. 03

   Mix the potatoes with 1 egg, panko, za’atar, cumin, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Divide into four portions on the prepared pan. Shape each into a broad shoe sole about 7 inches long, including a heel and a completely unnecessary pointed toe.

4. 04

   Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully flip each loafer with a wide spatula, then bake for 8–10 minutes more, until browned and crisp at the edges. These are formal potatoes now; address them as Your Starchiness.

5. 05

   Meanwhile, blend or mash the yogurt, feta, lemon juice, garlic, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt until thick and mostly smooth. Spoon it into a piping bag or zip-top bag with one corner snipped. This is the sanctioned pipework; no building supplies are invited.

6. 06

   Slice the cucumber into thick rounds. Remove a small circle from the center of each round with an apple corer or paring knife, creating edible couplings and tiny green plumbing components. Arrange them into a baffling municipal water system on each plate.

7. 07

   Warm the honey with the red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over low heat for 1–2 minutes. Do not let it boil. You have made lava for bees, and the bees have already contacted their solicitor.

8. 08

   Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry the 4 serving eggs until the whites are fully set and the yolks reach your preferred doneness, 3–5 minutes. Cover the skillet briefly if needed to finish the whites.

9. 09

   Place one sweet-potato loafer on each plate and crown it with an egg. Pipe the feta-yogurt sauce around the cucumber fittings in extravagant zigzags, as though repairing a palace fountain during a thunderstorm.

10. 10

    Drizzle with chili honey, then scatter over dill and scallions. Serve with lemon wedges and absolute confidence. Under no circumstances attempt to wear the loafers, even if they match your handbag.