FEATURE RECIPE
Breakfast pies with tomato chilli jam and crisp speck

Breakfast pies with tomato chilli jam and crisp speck

Who says pies can’t be eaten at breakfast? It would be bang out of order to refuse a good brekkie pie, especially this tasty open number.

Serves 8

Cooking Time Prep time 25 mins, cook 1 hr 10 mins (plus resting, cooling)



40 gm   butter, coarsely chopped
620 gm   rindless bacon (about 10 rashers), finely chopped
1   onion, finely chopped
4   garlic cloves, finely chopped
360 gm   farmhouse cottage cheese (see note)
14   eggs, plus 1 extra lightly beaten for eggwash
30 gm   (¼ cup) finely grated parmesan
To serve:   roasted cherry-truss tomatoes and crisp speck
Parmesan pastry
400 gm   plain flour
300 gm   cold butter, coarsely chopped
30 gm   (¼ cup) finely grated parmesan
Tomato chilli jam
10   vine-ripened tomatoes, scored
80 ml   (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
2   Spanish onions, finely chopped
5   garlic cloves, finely chopped
80 ml   (1/3 cup) sherry vinegar
75 gm   (1/3 cup) brown sugar
2   small red chillies, finely chopped


1 For parmesan pastry, process flour and butter in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add parmesan, process to combine, add 80ml iced water, process until dough comes together (add more water if necessary). Turn onto a lightly floured work surface, knead lightly to form a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled (1 hour).
2 Meanwhile, for tomato chilli jam, blanch tomatoes until skins split (1-2 minutes), refresh, drain, peel. Scoop out seeds (discard), finely chop flesh, set aside. Heat oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat, add onion and garlic and stir occasionally until soft (10-15 minutes). Add tomato and remaining ingredients and stir occasionally until thick (30 minutes). Makes about 500ml. Jam will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 weeks.
3 Meanwhile, heat butter in a separate saucepan over high heat until foaming. Add bacon, onion and garlic and stir occasionally until liquid evaporates and bacon browns (20-30 minutes). Transfer to a plate, set aside to cool (15-20 minutes).
4 Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200C. Whisk cottage cheese and 6 eggs in an electric mixer until incorporated, then pass through a coarse sieve into a bowl, pushing all lumps of cheese through. Add parmesan and bacon mixture, season to taste and set aside.
5 Divide pastry into 8 pieces and, working with one piece at a time, roll each into a 4mm-thick, 25cm-diameter circle and line eight 375ml-capacity buttered and floured ramekins, letting pastry overhang by 2cm. Divide bacon mixture among ramekins, make an indent in centre with a spoon and break an egg into each. Fold in overhanging pastry, brush pastry with eggwash and bake until golden and cooked through (15-20 minutes). Serve immediately with tomato-chilli jam, roasted cherry-truss tomatoes and crisp speck.

Note Farmhouse cottage cheese is a dry-style cottage cheese, available from select delicatessens.

RECIPE Lisa Featherby PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Chen STYLING Vanessa Austin and Lisa Featherby


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