EGGS, SPINACH, BREAD

Spiced, eggy toasts. • A substantial snack more than a meal, but a useful recipe to have to hand. Use any soft bread, preferably of the airy and light sort. I have known these be made for breakfast on a Sunday morning, an occasion to which they seem most fitting. • Use your favourite curry powder or own masala. You may have your own recipe or maybe a commercial brand, but either way add more or less to suit your taste.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Wash the spinach leaves, then put them, still very wet, into a deep saucepan for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Place over a high heat and let the spinach steam, turning it from time to time, until the leaves are dark green and wilted. A matter of five minutes or less. Remove the spinach from the pan, squeeze the leaves to remove most of the water, then chop finely.

Step 2

Put the curry powder, turmeric, cumin and chilli flakes in a dry, shallow pan and toast over a moderate heat for a minute or two till fragrant. Tip them into a medium-sized mixing bowl, then break the eggs into the bowl, add a half teaspoon of salt, stir in the spinach leaves and beat lightly to combine whites, yolks, spinach and toasted spices.

Step 3

Dunk the slices of ciabatta in the spiced batter, making sure they are well saturated. Melt the butter in a shallow pan, either non-stick or one with a good patina. As the butter warms, lower the bread into the pan, moderating the heat so it browns lightly on the base, making sure the butter doesn’t burn – a matter of three or four minutes. Turn with a palette knife and brown the other side. Drain lightly on kitchen paper before eating.