I Tried The Modern Nonna’s Recipe for Bulgarian Toast and It Has Officially Changed the Way I Look at Eggs

I thought I had seen and done it all when it came to breakfast egg recipes. I (almost) mastered the 45-second omelet, tried my hand at some of the creamiest scrambled eggs, and even made a ramen omelet concoction called a ramlet. The feeling of success stayed with me until I came across The Modern Nonna’s Bulgarian toast recipe on Instagram and started questioning if I was really the egg expert I thought myself to be.

Known as prinzesi in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian toast is a great and simple way to level up your traditional breakfast bread. At first look, it resembles a pizza — sans tomato sauce — with slightly browned cheddar cheese. The Modern Nonna (whose real name is Snejana) said that the recipe reminds her of back home, but for me it’s a reminder that I still have so much to learn about cooking eggs.

Get the recipe: Bulgarian Toast

The recipe calls for rye bread, sourdough, or any firm sliced bread that won’t fold under the weight of a mountain of gooey cheese and eggy goodness. I opted for rye.

To make the mixture, add eggs, salt, feta, and grated cheese to a bowl and mix well until everything is combined. The Modern Nonna uses kashkaval, a Bulgarian cheese, but cheddar, mozzarella, or any cheese can get the job done. I opted for a matured cheddar cheese because we’re fancy over here and I was curious to see what kind of bite it would add to the final result. Next, butter your bread and spread a few tablespoons of the mixture evenly throughout. You’ll want to make sure you cover the entire slice of bread, up to the crust. 

You’ll then place them in the oven on broil for 10 minutes, but make sure to keep your eye on it: This toast cooks fast, and no one likes burnt eggs. You’ll know it’s ready when it turns golden-brown and feels a bit firm to the touch. Finally, sprinkle dry oregano on top and enjoy!

Bulgarian toast is a great way to add some variety to your breakfast egg. It wasn’t too heavy and no more complicated or time-consuming than making an omelet. The cheese masked the egg taste so it almost tasted like a scaled-down version of a pizza. The Modern Nonna mentioned having this every morning in Bulgaria with a side of fresh tomatoes, which inspired me to try this again but with chopped tomatoes and herbs (almost like bruschetta) to add a bit more flavor. It’s a simple dish that I can picture myself making every morning without getting tired of it.

1. Keep a close eye. It can burn quickly, so I suggest taking a peek as it broils (the recipe recommends checking on it every minute) so that it doesn’t overcook.
2. There’s no such thing as too much cheese. OK, maybe there is, but don’t be afraid to sprinkle it in liberally. I’m far from a food scientist, but I’m guessing the amount of cheese might affect how fast it will cook and brown (or maybe not), so take this into account.
3. Spread the egg mixture all the way to the crust. This is purely for aesthetic purposes. You’ll want to spread the mix to the edge (as I failed to do) so that when the crust turns a toasty brown under the broiler, it will be hidden under the egg.