Pita or flatbread, for serving (optional)

1. Use your hands to pull the leaves from the stems of 2 small bunches flat-leaf (lacinato) kale. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and place in a colander. Rinse them, but do not dry.

2. Use a Microplane to finely grate the zest of 1 small lemon and 1 garlic clove into a small bowl. Add 1 cup Greek yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and stir to combine. Divide the yogurt among 4 shallow bowls and spread it out in a large, even circle with the back of a spoon. Halve the lemon and set aside.

3. Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in 8 fresh sage leaves, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sage leaves begin to curl at the edges and crisp, and the mixture is very fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the mixture, with the sage leaves, into a small bowl.

4. Return the skillet to medium heat (no need to wipe out). Add the kale a few handfuls at a time, stirring after each addition so that it starts to wilt, until all of the kale is added. Finely grate the remaining garlic clove into the skillet, add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and stir to combine. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is just tender, about 5 minutes.

5. Remove from the heat, squeeze in the juice from both lemon halves, and stir to combine. Divide the kale among the 4 bowls, piling it on top of the yogurt but keeping the edges of the yogurt exposed.

6. Return the skillet to the stove (no need to wipe out). Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil into the skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Crack 4 large eggs into the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and let cook undisturbed until the whites are crispy and golden-brown on the edges and set, and the yolks are runny, 2 to 4 minutes. If cooking 2 eggs per person, transfer the cooked eggs to a plate and repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 4 eggs.

7. Place 1 or 2 fried eggs on top of the kale in each bowl. Drizzle with the smoked sage butter and serve immediately with pita or flatbread, if desired.

Recipe notes: While this dish is best served immediately, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a day.

(Sheela Prakash is the senior contributing food editor at TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)

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