Dark Eggy Bread

"Eggy bread" is a brilliant way to use up stale bread, or finish off those last eggs lurking in the fridge before they turn nasty.

There are lots of different recipes "out there", but this is mine.

I like to think of it as an egg sandwich with the filling on the outside...

To make enough for a quick & tasty lunch for one person:

• Two eggs
• Milk
• Soy sauce
• Wholemeal bread

(It's the soy sauce and brown bread that make this "dark" eggy bread.)

Equipment:

• A non-stick frying pan
• a fork
• Spatula
• Mixing jug or bowl
• Flat and wide container for dipping

In your jug or bowl, crack two eggs, a splash of milk, a generous splash of soy sauce, and beat with a fork.

It doesn't look great, but it will taste brilliant.

You'll notice I haven't added any other seasoning, such as salt & pepper. The soy sauce gives enough saltiness for my palette, but this is one of those dishes that are brilliant for adding your own twists - chilli flakes work well, for instance.

Pour the mixture out into a deep tray that is wide enough to fit a slice of bread. The aluminium tray has seen many decades of use by my mother, who did a lot more cooking than I ever do, and is practically a family heirloom.

Drop a slice of bread into the mixture, and turn it over.

Get the bread good and eggy.

Add a small knob of butter to your pan, and heat until it is sizzling well.

On this induction hob, I set the ring's temperature to "9" (it's maximum).

Drop in the egg-soaked bread and fry, turning occasionally until it looks right for your personal tastes.

Top tip: keep the tray of egg mixture as close as possible to your frying pan to prevent eggy drips making a mess of your cooker.

The two-egg mixture is just right for four slices of bread, which makes a decent lunch for one person.

The last slice needs to be wiped around the tray a little to get properly eggy.

Set egg is a major pain to get off dirty dishes - before you eat, take a few seconds to rinse your tray, jug and spatula, or at least to drop them in water. It cuts washing time by about ninety percent...

I eat dark eggy bread as it is - straight off the plate and into my face.

You might want to dip it in ketchup, or share it with a friend.

It also works well with fried meats - bacon, sausage or black pudding - but you'll need to plan a little; mix up your eggs while the meats fry, then fry the bread just as the meat reaches readiness.