Turkish Çilbir
Toasted brioche spread with sweet roasted garlic and a citrus yogurt sauce, topped with soft poached eggs and a drizzle of smoked paprika chilli butter. A proper Turkish breakfast, worth the extra few steps.
Add the vinegar to genuinely boiling water before poaching, not simmering, it helps the egg whites set faster and hold together instead of trailing off into wisps. Use the freshest eggs you can find too, the yolk stays soft here.
This is really a fresh, eat-it-now dish, poached eggs and toast don’t hold up to storage. The yogurt sauce and paprika butter will both keep separately in the fridge for up to 3 days if you want to prep ahead.
Turkish Çilbir
EGGS · BREAKFAST · MEDIUM
A different way to do eggs on toast
Roasting the garlic whole for 45 minutes turns it sweet and spreadable, almost like a paste. It's mostly hands-off oven time, so it's far less effort than it sounds.
The smoked paprika chilli butter is what really sets this apart from a standard poached egg breakfast, warmed just enough to bloom the spices without splitting the butter.
Citrus in the yogurt sauce cuts through the richness of the butter and egg yolk, so every bite has something bright working against the richer elements.
Turkish Çilbir
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Bulb Garlic
- 10 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 50 g Natural Greek Yogurt
- 1 Garlic Clove Minced
- ¼ Lemon Zest
- ¼ Lime Zest
- ¼ Lemon Juiced
- 42 g Unsalted Butter
- 6 g Smoked Paprika
- 2 g Dried Chilli Flakes
- 15 ml White Vinegar
- 4 Free Range Eggs
- 4 slices Brioche Bread Toasted
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- Dill Garnish
- Flat Leaf Parsley Garnish
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the whole garlic bulb onto a sheet of aluminium foil, drizzle over the roasting oil, fold into a parcel, and roast for 45 minutes, until soft and tender. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Place a small pan over medium heat. Add the butter, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, and seasoning to taste. Melt and cook for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the citrus yogurt sauce: place the yogurt in a bowl and add the minced garlic, lemon and lime zest, lemon juice, and seasoning to taste.
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat, then add the vinegar. Poach the eggs for 2 ½ minutes, or until done to your liking — use the freshest eggs you can for this, since the yolk stays soft.
- Toast the bread to your liking and spread with the roasted garlic (squeezed from its skin) and the citrus yogurt dressing. Top with the poached eggs and drizzle with the smoked paprika and chilli butter, plus extra virgin olive oil (optional). Garnish with dill, parsley, and cracked black pepper.
What is çilbir?⌄
A traditional Turkish dish of poached eggs served over garlicky yogurt, usually finished with a warm spiced butter. This version adds roasted garlic and citrus for extra depth.
Can I make the roasted garlic and yogurt sauce ahead of time?⌄
Yes, both keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in separate airtight containers. It makes the morning-of prep much quicker, just the eggs and toast left to do.
Why add vinegar to boiling water for poaching?⌄
It helps the egg whites set faster and hold their shape, rather than trailing off into wisps in the water. Genuinely boiling water works better here than a gentle simmer.
Can I use regular bread instead of brioche?⌄
Sure, sourdough or a good crusty white bread both work well. Brioche just adds a bit of extra richness that pairs nicely with the butter and yolk.
