For 8 English muffins:
- 200 g fresh whole milk
- 100 g water
- 20 g sugar
- 3 g fresh yeast
- 50 g butter at room temperature
- 420 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g semolina flour
- 2 g salt
- 40 g mixed seeds
For the poached egg:
- 2 eggs per person
- 2 litres water
- 100 ml white vinegar
- salt
For the vegetables:
- ¼ red cabbage
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
To prepare the English muffins, start by weighing all the ingredients so you have them ready: knead the dough the night before, so they will be perfect for brunch the next day.
In a saucepan or microwave, gently warm the milk mixed with the water: it should not be hot but slightly lukewarm, so with little difference from body temperature if you dip your finger into it. Dissolve the fresh yeast in it.
In a stand mixer bowl or a container, pour the flour, the milk and yeast mixture, the sugar, and start kneading, by hand or with the hook attachment: once the dough is elastic, add the soft butter in chunks, to which you have added the salt, and knead again until it is smooth and well-formed. At this point, add the mixed seeds and work a little more so that they are evenly incorporated into the dough.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled container, cover with a cloth, wrapping the bowl well, and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.
The next morning, remove the dough from the refrigerator, deflate it with the palm of your hands, and flatten it on the work surface, leaving it quite thick, about 2 cm. Weigh it and divide it into 8 equal parts, fold each piece twice over itself, then roll the dough on the work surface to obtain regular spheres. Place them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper at room temperature for about 2 hours.
When they have risen, heat a non-stick pan well over low heat and cook the English muffins for 4 minutes on each side, with the lid closed, then lower the heat and continue for another 2 or 3 minutes per side without the lid.
Let them cool slightly on a wire rack, meanwhile, focus on the filling.
Cut the red cabbage into thin strips, drizzle only with vinegar, mix well and let it rest - this will help the cabbage fibers to soften.
Bring the water with the vinegar to a boil in a not too wide saucepan, at this point create a very delicate swirl with the help of a wooden spoon or a whisk, carefully drop the egg into the swirl and let it cook for about 3 minutes. With the help of a spoon or a slotted spoon, you can 'accompany' the egg white towards the center so that it has the most regular shape possible once cooked. The egg white should coagulate while the yolk inside remains semi-liquid.
Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the poached egg from the water and place it on the serving plate.
Season the red cabbage with oil, salt, and pepper, arrange the vegetables on the base of the halved muffins already placed on the serving plate, then place the poached eggs on each muffin half and serve.
Our tips:
- Make the full batch of English muffins, those that are leftover will be perfect the next morning, just warmed on a grill and served with butter and jam; alternatively, store them in a freezer bag and thaw them later, always warming them on a grill before consuming.
- A totally vegan alternative could be to use chickpea hummus with tahini and turmeric instead of the poached egg.