French toast with all the trimmings

Easier to make than pancakes, but just as tasty. Top with bananas, a few berries and lashings of maple syrup. They’ll go quickly! Makes 4 slices

12 smoked pancetta rashers or slices butter, for frying

4 just-ripe bananas, peeled and

halved lengthways

4 eggs

4 large slices thick-cut white bread maple syrup, for drizzling mixed fresh berries, to serve icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Arrange the pancetta rashers on the prepared sheet, then lay another sheet of baking parchment over the top. Pat down lightly so it sticks to the pancetta, then bake for 10 mins until crisp. (Placing the baking parchment on top helps keep the pancetta flat.) 2 Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan and fry the bananas, cut-side down, for a few minutes until slightly golden. Carefully turn over using a fish slice and cook for a few minutes more. Remove from the pan and set aside. Pour away any excess butter from the pan, but don’t wipe it.

3 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 into the beaten egg, letting it soak for a few seconds, then coat the other side in the egg before frying in the hot pan for a few minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining bread slices.

4 Top each slice of French toast with some crispy pancetta and a few slices of fried banana. Drizzle maple syrup over the top and scatter over some berries, then dust with some icing sugar, if you like.