In last night’s discussion with Dom (ABC Sydney Evenings), we discussed a few options for a relaxed breakfast or brunch at home.

Here are two of the recipes – please let me know if you would like any others we talked about during the segment – egg and bacon tarts and slow cooker baked beans.

Egg and Bacon Tarts

3 sheets ready rolled puff pastry, thawed

12 eggs

6 rashers bacon, rind removed and diced

90g grated tasty cheese

Method

Grease 12 80 to 100ml capacity muffin tin holes.  Heat oven to 200 degrees C (fan forced).

Cut four rounds from each sheet of pastry and fit into each muffin hole.

Sprinkle half the bacon evenly over the bases.

Break an egg into each hole.

Sprinkle the rest of the bacon over the eggs, then the grated cheese.

Bake for 12 minutes until golden brown and just set.

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Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Some dried beans need to be cooked for 15 minutes before being drained and added to the slow cooker.  This is because some beans are toxic when slow cooked otherwise.  It’s not all varieties, but I never seem to remember which ones, so as a matter of course I boil all dried beans for 15 minutes and drain them before adding to the slow cooker.

I also add the simple process of soaking the beans first, just to make doubly sure they are lovely and tender when cooked.

500 g dried haricot or navy beans

2 onions


3 ½  cups tomato purée


3 tablespoons tomato paste

1½ tablespoons mild-flavoured honey

 3 teaspoons vegetable stock powder

Method

Cover the beans with cold water (at least 3 cm). Leave to soak overnight. The next day, drain off the liquid. Cook for 15 minutes in boiling water. Drain.

Peel and finely dice the onion and place in the slow cooker with the beans, 1 cup of water, tomato purée, tomato paste, honey and stock powder.

Place lid on cooker and cook for 4 hours on High or 7 hours on Low.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Variation:  add a smoked ham hock to the cooker along with the rest of the ingredients for a lovely rich, meaty sauce. Extend the cooking time on Low to 8 hours if you do this. When ready to serve, remove the hock from the cooker, take the meat from the bone and return it to the baked bean mixture.