Potato Cakes and Eggs

Ingredients

• 1 pound baking potatoes diced (2 potatoes, skin on)
• 6 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 1 cup bread crumbs fresh
• 5 large eggs 
• 4 sprigs thyme leaves fresh
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 6 servings kosher salt 
• 2 tablespoons milk 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin
• 0.3 cup olives chopped (picholines or kalamatas or a mix)
• 2.3 cups onion thinly sliced
• 6 cups pkt spinach packed
• 2 large tomatoes diced
• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Put potatoes in salted water and boil until tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
2. Drain and smash with the milk.
3. Mix in the bread crumbs and 1 of the eggs and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pack into 4 (3-inch) patties.
4. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
5. In a nonstick pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over high heat until the oil shimmers. Sear the potato cakes until crispy and browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
6. Transfer to a sheet pan to keep warm in a low oven.
7. Add the spinach to the pan, and cook, season with salt and pepper, and toss until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Transfer to a bowl. In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and cook the onions, garlic and thyme until soft and slightly brown, 10 minutes.
9. Add the tomatoes and olives and cook until warmed.
10. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
11. Melt the butter in the same pan, and fry the eggs, sunny-side up or as desired, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. While the eggs fry, divide the potato cakes among 4 plates. Top with the wilted spinach. Top each cake with a fried egg, and spoon warm tomato sauce over and around the egg.