Turkish Eggs, Çılbır

Soft poached eggs on thick garlicky yogurt, with butter sizzled with Aleppo pepper spooned over the top. Dill, flaky salt, and warm bread to scoop it all up.

Crack each egg into a fine strainer and let the thin, watery white drain off for 30 seconds before it goes in the pot. That loose white is what turns into ragged wisps. What's left holds a tight, neat shape with no swirling and no vinegar tricks.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 4 eggs, as fresh as you can get
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1½ tsp Aleppo pepper, or 1 tsp sweet paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• ½ tsp flaky salt
• 2 pieces pide or thick sourdough, toasted

Method

1. Stir the yogurt, garlic and salt together in a bowl and set it over a pot of hot tap water while you cook. You want it room temperature, not cold, or it chills the eggs on the plate.
2. Bring 3 inches of water to a bare simmer in a wide saucepan, small bubbles on the bottom and nothing rolling. One at a time, crack the eggs into a fine strainer over a bowl, let the loose white drain 30 seconds, then tip each egg into its own cup.
3. Slide the eggs into the water one after another. Poach until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft when you press with a spoon, about 3 minutes. Lift out and blot on a paper towel.
4. While they poach, melt the butter in a small pan over medium until it foams and smells nutty, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the Aleppo pepper. It should sizzle and turn the butter red.
5. Spread the yogurt over two shallow plates. Set two eggs on each, spoon the hot butter over, and finish with dill and flaky salt. Serve right away with the warm bread.