French Toast with all the Trimmings
Celebrate Mother’s Day by whipping up Theo Michaels’ tasty ideas
This is a staple brunch dish in the bedlam that is a morning in the Michaels’ household. Easier to make than pancakes (and less messy when the kids ‘help’) but just as tasty. Serve hot with all the trimmings – a few berries and lashings of maple syrup. They will go quickly!
Makes 4 slices
12 rashers/slices smoked pancetta 4 just-ripe bananas Butter, for cooking 4 eggs
4 large slices of thickcut white bread Pure maple syrup, for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Any fresh berries, to serve
Icing sugar, to dust (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas 6.
Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Arrange the strips of pancetta on top of a sheet of the baking parchment and then lay a second sheet of baking parchment over the top, pat it down to stick to the pancetta and then pop it into the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the pancetta is cooked and crispy. (Placing the baking parchment on top helps to keep the rashers/slices flat).
Try to buy bananas that are just ripe because if they are too soft they tend to break up in the pan. Peel them and cut in half lengthways. Heat a knob/pat of butter in a frying pan/skillet and, once it’s melted, lay the bananas in the pan, cut-side down. Fry them for a few minutes until they have turned slightly golden and you can smell them. Carefully turn them over using a fish slice and cook for a few minutes more, before removing them from the pan and setting aside.
Pour away any excess butter from the pan, but don’t wipe it.
Whisk the eggs in a wide-rimmed bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Working with one slice of bread at a time, dip it into the beaten eggs, letting it soak for a few seconds, then coat the other side of the bread before laying it into the hot pan to cook for a few minutes on each side. Repeat until all of your bread is transformed into French toast.
Top each slice of toast with crispy pancetta and a few slices of fried banana.
Drizzle maple syrup over the top, add a few fresh berries and a little dusting of icing sugar.