Italian Eggs

Eggs are probably my favourite breakfast dish as they are so quick and easy to prepare and very versatile. This dish might take a little longer than your average egg dish but it is well worth the wait.

'Italian Eggs' might not necessarily be the correct name for this delicious dish, but I didn't want to call it 'Baked Eggs' since for this recipe I don't bake them but keep them on the top of the oven. That being said, if you prefer you could easily finish this dish off in the oven so that you can get on with other things while the eggs cook.

Regardless of how you cook the eggs what you end up with is a deliciously tangy and slightly spicy tomato sauce which becomes a silky smooth bed for cooking the eggs on, until they are just cooked with perfectly runny yolks which once broken dribble and ooze into the sauce. Finished with some fresh basil and plenty of bread of your choice for dipping in and mopping up and you have the most delicious egg dish perfect for breakfast, lunch or even a light dinner.

Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 x 28oz (or 2 x 400g) tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tsp sugar (optional)

½ – 1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional but if using add as much or as little as you like depending on how hot you like things)

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

4 organic large eggs

scattering of fresh basil leaves

Bread of your choice for dipping

In a frying pan, heat the olive oil then add the crushed garlic and cook for a minute being careful not to brown. Add the tomatoes, sugar, chilli flakes, salt and pepper and stir well. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat slightly and leave to simmer for roughly 20-25 minutes until it has reduced slightly. Taste to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Stir in about half of the basil leaves then lower the heat so that it is just gently simmering, then carefully crack in the eggs. Cover with a tight fitting lid and leave to cook for roughly 3-4 minutes until the eggs are just cooked but still with a runny yolk.

As soon as the eggs are ready remove the lid to stop the cooking and sprinkle over a good pinch of sea salt and if you like a grinding of pepper. Finish with a final scattering of basil then serve in shallow bowls with plenty of bread or toast to mop everything up with.

*If you would like to make individual servings like the one pictured (which is what I do 99% of the time) simply make up the sauce as above then transfer ¼ of it to a small individual sized frying pan (keep the rest of the sauce for another day – unless you have 4 small pans and are doing it for presentation purposes!). Once the sauce is simmering follow the instructions as above then serve in the pan on a chopping board to protect your table from the heat!

Carrot & Lentil Soup

This soup is adapted from a version by Ross Dobson featured in his book, Kitchen Seasons. I had to include it here because it tastes just like the Lentil Soup my Mum used to make. It is not only delicious but hearty and comforting. Nothing else can make you feel better than a steaming hot bowl of this soup.

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 leek, sliced

1 clove of garlic, chopped

2 tbsp tomato puree (you can use either sun-dried or normal)

3 carrots, peeled and grated

250g red lentils, rinsed

1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock

Salt & pepper

A sprinkling of curry powder to serve (optional)

In a large pan melt the butter with the oil. Add the onion and leek and gently sauté for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Add the garlic and tomato puree and cook for a further minute before adding the grated carrots, lentil and stock. Stir everything together then season with some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover with a lid and cook over a medium-low heat until the soup comes to a boil, then lower the heat slightly, remove the lid (or have it on at an angle so that it isn't completely covered) and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked and completely tender, stirring from time to time.

Remove the soup from the heat and leave to cool slightly. At this point you can either serve it as it is – perfect if you prefer a chunkier soup, or you can blitz it up to make a thick and smooth soup (as pictured). And if you really can't decide, it's also delicious when you blend half of it and keep the other half chunky....then you get the best of both worlds!

Heat before serving and if you like, (as I do) finish it off with a little sprinkling of curry powder.

Bonfire Night Menu Ideas

When it comes to Bonfire Night (or Guy Fawkes) the food you want to eat is all about complete comfort. Warming, comforting food that is easy to eat while standing around a giant bonfire and watching fizzing, whizzing, popping fireworks. If you are having a bonfire party this year here are a few suggestions for some of my favourite recipes to enjoy around the fire which are guaranteed to keep you warm and toasty. Just don't forget the sparklers!

{Although Bonfire Night is a British celebration there is no need to miss out on an excuse to get your family and friends together and have a warm and cozy Comfort food party!}

Toffee Apple Tarts

Autumn and apples go hand in hand so these little tarts are the perfect Autumnal dessert. Crisp, slightly sharp apples mixed with creamy, sweet caramel sauce make these the perfect indulgent treat. They are a great alternative to Toffee Apples and are an ideal end to a Bonfire party, but they are also elegant enough to serve for a dinner party dessert. Serve accompanied with some whipped cream or for an extra special treat some ice cream and you have a beautiful, decadent and delicious treat.

Since I use bought pastry shells for these tarts they take no time to make at all so can be made up in half an hour. If you prefer though, you could easily make your own pastry.

Serves 6

6 pastry shells

4 tbsp dulce de leche (or similar caramel sauce)

2 apples

Sprinkling of cinnamon (optional)

Small handful of pecans

Preheat the oven to 375F/ 190C.

Peel and core the apples then cut into small pieces. Pop into a pan along with 1 tablespoon of water and the cinnamon then cook over a medium heat for roughly 15 minutes until the apples have softened and look like a chunky puree. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes.

While the apples are cooking place the pastry shells on a baking tray and spoon in a good teaspoon of the dulce de leche so that the bases are completely covered.

Once the apples have cooled slightly spoon them evenly into each pastry case the sprinkle over the chopped pecans. Bake in the oven for 23-25 minutes until the edges of the tarts are golden brown and the caramel bubbling. Carefully remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before drizzling over a little extra dulce de leche then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm as they are with a cup of tea or with cream or ice cream for an special after dinner treat.

Catherine Wheels

Crisp and flaky puff pastry filled with a tomato sauce and plenty of bubbling, melted cheese – these are the perfect little snack to munch on. And since they resemble (and are therefore called!) Catherine Wheels, it makes them the perfect Bonfire Night treat. Delicious served warm out of the oven, these treats won't last long and will be loved by everyone.

Cheese & Tomato

Makes roughly 14 {easily doubled}

1 sheet of ready rolled puff pastry

75ml (5 tbsp) basic tomato sauce or pizza sauce

115g/ 4oz Cheddar cheese, grated

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220C/ 425F/ GM 7 and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Spread the puff pastry evenly with the tomato sauce, getting right to the edges then sprinkle over the grated cheese. Grind over a little black pepper then roll the puff pastry up as tightly as you can. Trim off the ends then slice the roll into roughly ½ inch thick pieces.

Arrange the slices on the tray. Bake in the oven for 14-15 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden and the cheese bubbling. Leave to cool for a minute or 2 then remove and place on a wire rack to cool slightly.

And why not try some Mozzarella & Pesto Catherine Wheels which are equally delicious.

Mozzarella & Pesto

1 sheet of ready rolled puff pastry

75ml (5 tbsp) basil pesto

115g/ 4oz hard mozzarella, grated

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220C/ 425F/ GM 7 and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Spread the puff pastry evenly with the pesto, getting right to the edges then sprinkle over the grated cheese. Grind over a little black pepper then roll the puff pastry up as tightly as you can. Trim off the ends then slice the roll into roughly ½ inch thick pieces.

Arrange the slices on the tray. Bake in the oven for 14-15 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden and the cheese bubbling. Leave to cool for a minute or two then remove and place on a wire rack to cool slightly.

*These also make a delicious treat to serve on the side with some homemade soup. 

Ultimate Sticky Sausage Rolls with Onions

Nothing says Bonfire Night food like some deliciously sticky and sizzling sausages! These sausages are wrapped in bacon then finished off with a wonderfully sweet and sticky honey sauce. Topped off with some onions these sausage rolls will be a hit and perfect for eating while standing around a bonfire watching the fireworks. Just don't forget the napkins!

Serves 4 {easily doubled or tripled for a crowd}

4 good quality sausages of your choice

4 rashers of streaky bacon

60ml honey

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)

2 tsp mustard (I like Honey Dijon but use your favourite)

few shakes of Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large red onion

salt & pepper

To serve:

Sausage rolls/buns

Preheat the oven to 400F/ 200C.

Line a baking tray with tin/aluminium foil then wrap a piece of bacon around each sausage, stretching the bacon slightly if needed. Put onto the lined baking tray then repeat with the remaining sausages. Cook in the oven for 40 minutes.

While the sausages are cooking mix together the honey, maple syrup, soy, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well so that its properly mixed together then set aside.

Heat the oil in a frying pan then slice the onion into medium-thick slices. Add to the frying pan and cook over a medium heat until the edges are just tinged golden brown. Season with some salt and pepper then turn the heat to low and continue to cook until softened.

When the sausages have had 40 minutes remove them from the oven then pour over the honey sauce, coating them evenly. Pop back into the oven for no more than 10 minutes until they are fully cooked through, golden brown and deliciously sticky!

Cut some sausage rolls/buns down the middle then pop a sausage in each one. Spoon over some of the marinade from the baking tray then top with the onions and serve with plenty of napkins!