Making Breakfast Pie

I started out by making the crust for the pie - formed from two slices of white bloomer bread, pressed into an ovenproof dish and brushed with sunflower oil.

These are then held in form by placing another dish on top - then baking in a hot oven for 15 minutes, until the bread starts to fry and turn crispy.

Next, a large rasher of bacon (for each pie) is rolled up and put in the oven in an ovenproof dish.

Sausages, potato slices and mushrooms are fried in a pan.

Black pudding (actually, a Spanish Morcilla) is sliced and gently fried, in the same pan as the sausages, after they come out.

Once everything is mostly cooked, it's time to assemble - the sausage is cut in half and arranged inside the crispy bread shell, along with the other ingredients, and a couple of fresh mini plum tomatoes.

Two eggs are cracked into the middle of the pie, then the whole thing is baked in the oven for 20 minutes (or until the egg is done).

Just before serving, some baked beans are warmed in a pan and served on top of the pie. Breakfast Pie - enjoy!

Where It All Started

The idea to try to make a Breakfast Pie wasn't exactly original. I saw this menu board outside a restaurant in Minehead. I have no idea if my implementation of Breakfast Pie is anything like theirs though.

Is It A Pie Though?

I've already had some people say this isn't a pie, because it has no top crust, and that it's a tart instead. I disagree - because in my taxonomy, tarts, quiches and other things in pastry shells *are* species of pie - so it can be both a tart and a pie.

What Was Good

The fried bread crust for this pie was fantastic - even witth the egg on top, it was crisp and delicious - pre-cooking it was a good move.

What Could Be Better

The eggs - they take a very long time to cook through in the oven - making it a choice between eating them runny, or waiting and eating some parts burnt or overcooked. Next time, I might leave out the eggs, then just before serving, fill the middle with beans and top with a fried egg.