Are you a fan of the Eurovision Song Contest?
I’m not (yet), but I am a huge fan of Jason from Don’t Boil the Sauce! When J announced his Chow Down to Eurovision Brunch Contest, I thought it might be fun to contribute an entry.
I’ll let him tell you about it in his own, inimitable style…
. . . . .
My contribution is this savoury brunch slice.
Many years ago, I met an older woman at a party who plonked a dish very similar to this one onto the buffet table. She then announced (loudly) that it was called a “wifesaver” because “everything is cooked at the same time to save the little woman from all the hard work of making breakfast”.
Despite the revoltingly sexist overtones, it was delicious.
I’ve made several versions over the years, but this one has a particularly Aussie feel – it uses Margaret River cheddar, backyard eggs and free ham offcuts from my friend Johnny. I reciprocated by delivering an entire slice to him – is there anything more Australian than sharing food with your mates?
I’ve layered the dish with homegrown basil and marinated feta – a nod to the Italian and Greek influences on modern Australian cuisine…
If you’re wondering about the props in photos above and below – Jason stipulates that each dish has to be photographed in the style of Eurovision. As I had no idea what that meant, I improvised with all the 80s bling I could find…
- one small loaf sourdough bread, or half a large one (about 400g total, once crusts have been removed)
- 200g ham, preferably off the bone, sliced and then cut into pieces
- 100g Australian cheddar, grated
- 100g marinated feta, crumbled
- basil leaves
- 375ml (1½ cups) full cream milk
- 125ml (½ cup) cream
- 5 free range eggs
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1. Remove the crust from the sourdough and cut it into 1cm slices. Cut any large slices in half…
2. Oil the base of a baking dish and layer in the bread, followed by half the ham, half the cheddar, a little of the feta and a few basil leaves…
3. Add another layer of bread, ham, feta and basil, then top with the rest of the bread and the remaining cheddar…
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and paprika…
5. Carefully ladle the eggy milk over the dry ingredients. Cover the top with a piece of clingfilm, then press down to make sure the liquid soaks into the bread. Pop into the fridge for at least two hours, but preferably overnight…
6. Remove the dish from the fridge at least half an hour before baking to allow the ingredients to come to room temperature. Pour over half a cup of cream and allow to sit while the oven preheats to 175C with fan…
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes until deep golden brown. Check occasionally to make sure it’s cooking evenly and rotate as required. It’s worth placing a tray on the rack below to catch any drips. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least half an hour before serving…
Big Boy was starving, so we cut into this one a bit early…
Serve warm or at room temperature. It becomes easier to slice as it cools…
This is an extremely versatile recipe – apart from the eggs and milk, almost every other ingredient can be substituted for something else. It would work well with brioche instead of sourdough, you could use just about any sort of cheese you might have in the fridge, and grilled veg could be substituted for the ham, if a vegetarian option was desired. Best of all, it can be assembled in advance, making it perfect party food.
. . . . .
Do you have a brunch dish for Jason’s Eurovision Chow Down? If so, please join in the fun! And fear not, J’s assured me that no-one will be made to sing.
For more information, head over to Don’t Boil The Sauce!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
What can you use instead of the ham?
Anything you want. :) Although if you use raw bacon, you might want to fry it first. I’ve made this with prosciutto, jamon, turkey offcuts and even leftover cooked mince on occasions! :)
That looks great. I will be trying it very soon…with an Italian twist. I have never heard of don’t boil the sauce, but I already love it. I will be investigating further. Thanks for the link.
Deb, I think you’d adore Jason, I know I do.. :)
Douze points from this judge…
Hahaha!!
We call this a strata – a savoury kind of layered bread pudding. They really are a great way to use old bread. Thanks for the link for Don’t Boil the Sauce – very amusing an original blog! Eurovision…well, sometimes you just get sucked into watching each performance to see if it can’t get any more absurd.
Debi, I have to say, I’ve never watched it in earnest – not even sure what channel it’s screened on. But Jason is on a mission to get everyone in the country watching! :D
There was a similar recipe to this years ago in a AWW cookbook. I can’t remember what it was called – certainly not ‘wifesaver’! It was before sourdough and brioche were household names in Australia and was made with thick cut white bread. It did have a lot of veg in it as I remember and was delish.
Isn’t the “wifesaver” but just appalling? Veg would be a nice addition! :)
Aw this looks so delicious, Celia… I could just lick that screen! Very, very strict elimination diet for me at the moment (health reasons), so am salivating at all these wonderful dishes I’m seeing xo
Ooh sounds like torture hon! I hope you’re back eating a full diet again soon!
I love eggs recipes that use whatever else is to hand. My go to is Impossible Pie – same ingredients but swap flour for bread… very 80’s but I think I’ll shortly be a convert :)
ED, that sounds like a nice idea! Pete’s aunt used to make a quiche with Sao biscuits crumbled into the batter and everything baked in one go – sounds a bit like your Impossible Pie!
I make a ‘Spanish’ version using a packet of chips… cheese & onion are good :)
WOW! Seems so delicious and should be so exciting to cook this… Thank you dear Celia, have a nice day and weekend, love, nia
Thank you lovely Nia! I adored your snow and ice photos! :)
Looking at your ’80’s photo’ methinks you got the mindset of that one right Celia!! Eurovision: well if born in Europe it is a cult show every year – so deliciously ‘bad’ it is compulsive viewing with a crowd from your own birth country :) ! The oft quite pointed politics in voting has one in stiches and we [I was born in Estonia] even won it one year!! [Don’t know that I like us entering it from Australia this year tho’ . . . Israel and Turkey are quite far enough as far as I am concerned!!]
They might need to change the name to “Worldvision” soon, but then there’s the charity to contend with…oh dear.. “Earthvision”? :D
Bit like baked french toast crossed with bread & butter pudding really. Looks like a great weekend away dish. Used to LOVE Eurovision in the old days but like a lot of things it loses appeal to me when it becomes popular. I like to think I’m a bit different from the masses, keep getting proven I’m wrong though.
Maree, I once knew a woman named Belinda, who always wore stripes. One day she came in to work and said, “damn it! Stripes are in vogue! Now I’ll have to stop wearing them for a while!” I always admired her enormously for that! :)
I love that woman!
I am NOT a fan of Eurovision Celia… I just find it quite boring honestly. And I’d rather bake delicious goodies really! :) we make something very similar to your recipe but I use a sandwich grill &put it all in Focaccia bread!
Lina, anything that can be made in the sandwich press is a surefire winner in my book! :)
Yummy Celia! Bread, cheese (2 types!) and ham? You got me. I’ll have to check out that video- I don’t know what Eurovision is!
The second batch had three cheeses – I snuck a little Parmesan in there as well! :) xx
What a brilliant idea – I love your savoury brunch slice. Think I will have to make one when Pete and I get back from Mozambique. :-D
Have a wonderful weekend Celia. I have been a good girl and scheduled my IMK post for while we are away. It will be live on the1st March.
:-) Mandy xo
Mandy have a glorious time with your Pete! xxx
Looks like a strata to me? Great recipe Ms Celia :)
Yes, I think that’s what the Americans call it! :)
This looks like an amazing savoury bread and butter pudding. I’ve never paid any attention to Eurovision but I suspect this year might be different.
Clare, it’s a great way to use up old sourdough, especially when you have backyard eggs! Very kid-friendly too! :)
I have a recipe like this called make ahead eggs :) you make it the day before wake up put it in the oven and breakfast to feed a thousand without any work :) good for when you have lots of people for breakfast…. This look a bit healthier though :) YUMMMMM, Cna’t wait to try it! Liz xx
Liz, I guess we can see where the terrible “wifesaver” name comes from! “Sanity saver” might have been better though! :)
I love it, thank you! I can’t wait to try it out, so many elements of deliciousness.
Will this be the dish to represent Australia?
One can only hope. Another contestant just told me she has a logo. Dammit. Wish I’d thought of that. :)
Wow! That looks moreish!!!! I’d just leave the ham out!!
Elaine, I think it might be really nice with layers of grilled eggplant!
Ooh, definitely!!
I am a HUGE fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, with its ridiculously over-the-top contestants, performances and attitudes. Watching it is always a group event, with food and drink definitely taking centre stage! Thank you for the reminder that it’s only weeks away now…
Do check out Jason’s blog! It’s getting close, which means he’s about to completely lose his mind.. ;-)
I will definitely do that!
This looks amazing! Btw I love the Song Contest – it’s mandatory viewing in my house as the best learning tool for European history. How proud was I when my 12-year-old contradicted an adult family friend by saying “No, Turkey will not give 12 points to Greece, despite them being neighbours. They will give them to Bosnia-Something because they are Muslim, too.”
My tip is to skip the music bit though ;-)
Hahaha…thanks for the tip! I’m still not sure I’m going to get it past my three men.. :)
Oh yes! This was a favourite in my family when the children were growing up, a perfect, quick, rainy day lunch.. dying to get home to make another sourdough loaf! .. wonderful.. c
Hooray! Hope you bake heaps more and Bob works like a trojan for you! :)
Dang that looks fine. I’ve heard that called Christmas Casserole here because you can set it up the night before and eat it Christmas morning when you are opening presents. I personally don’t think I can wait that long to make it. :-)
Maz
Maz, it’s the perfect thing to make with a less than perfect loaf! :)
This looks delicious, similar to many strata dishes served for brunch here. I love the versatility of it. This hasn’t made our brunch rotation yet, but I’m sure the boys would love it. Thanks for reminding me to make one soon!
I think it’s a very child-friendly dish – a bit like a ham and cheese toastie! :)
That’s funny that you say you can’t substitute the eggs as I was just thinking about how it could be made without eggs as it looks similar to a bread and butter pudding (less of a sexist name) and I made one without eggs last year! I love the sound of it but am not really into my eggs (or meat but we have plenty of substitution options there)
Well, of course you could leave out the eggs, but then you end up with a substantially different dish. You could leave out the bread too, I guess. :) The eggs make the dish puff up souffle-like.
Perfect for an afternoon lunch with friends.
Thanks Karen! I hope you’re well, I’m sorry I haven’t popped over to say hi for a while. It’s been crazy busy here!
I make something very similar. I like it because I can get it ready the night before, then bake it in the morning. I think of it as a timesaver! Lol
See, MUCH more politically correct! :)
Oh that looks delicious Celia – definitely a winner as well as a ‘wife saver’ (lol). I love your props, especially Miss Piggy who would be me chowing down on that dish. I’m a huge fan of bling – the more the blingier.
Di, they were a bit pathetic, but I did like my Turkish hat. Here’s a photo of me in it..
Love it! You look smashing.
You’re kind, but I actually look like a nutter. :)
I don’t know Jason or his chow down but I’m off to do more investigating. I’m so pleased to find a true wifesaver because as we all know, it’s been 10 years of me waiting on him hand and foot.
Now darling, having met the lovely man, I can hardly believe that’s true. Even if you do have the patience of a saint.. ;-)
Ooh yes please – I could eat this any time of day! And I love the photo styling ;)
I wish I’d had some flags now.. :)
I love your little Diva with adoring suuuper Grover. That, I think, is one handy recipe.
Jan, perfect for using up leftover sourdough! And we’re huge Muppets fans, there’s always paraphernalia of one sort or another lying around.. :)
It’s a great dish, Celia. I like to use a little leftover spag sauce between the layers with cheddar and Parmesan as the cheeses.
We love Eurovision Celia, especially this year with Australia competing! This looks like a perfect Eurovision meal – love your 80s staging :)
Love your staging for Eurovision, and phew! The Housewives have been saved! Lovely…