Soufflé-like and baked to a pleasing crust, this dish can be made with any white square-cut bread and relies for its outstanding flavour on superb Parmesan cheese. Ideally, grate your own.
SERVES 6
10 medium-thick slices square white bread (about 450g)
75g soft butter at room temperature
120g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
6 large free-range eggs
300ml double cream
300ml milk
1⁄2 tsp fine sea salt
1⁄2 tsp freshly ground white or black pepper
Spread the bread slices on one side with butter, keeping back a little. Use the rest to grease a 1.25-litre heatproof baking dish, ideally oval or rectangular, and 5cm or 6cm deep. Use half the cheese to make cheese sandwiches, pressing tops on firmly. Slice off and discard the crusts. Quarter the sandwiches diagonally and arrange in the dish, points up. Whisk the eggs, cream, milk, salt, pepper and half of the remaining cheese. Pour 600ml of this liquid slowly over the sandwiches to cover evenly. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, Gas Mark 4. Leave the sandwiches for 15 minutes to soak, then pour on the remaining savoury custard and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Bake towards the top third of the oven for 45 minutes or until the pudding is puffed, deeply browned and smells intensely cheese-scented. Serve hot.
RECIPES CLARE FERGUSON
STYLING KAREN AKHTAR
PHOTOGRAPHS PETER CASSIDY
NOVEMBER 2008
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