Ideal for breakfast or a lunchtime snack, bacon is a tasty option and has the added bonus of being quick and easy to cook, so it’s a perfect go-to ingredient if you’re in a hurry. Cooking it just got a whole lot better as Mary Berry has shown us how to nail that perfect crispiness. The culinary legend has shared her top tips from her cookbook ‘Mary Berry Everyday’, advocating for the good old pan frying method to get those meaty strips sizzling to perfection.
For those looking to pair their bacon with something extra, Mary’s crispy bacon rosti with fried eggs is a simple yet satisfying choice, requiring minimal ingredients. The whole thing takes several minutes to whip up and is sure to keep you satisfied all morning.
Ingredients
For the bacon
Two rashers of smoked back bacon
Sunflower oil for frying
To make the rosti and eggs
One small white onion
500g floury potatoes
Two free-range eggs
Method
Start by cooking the bacon. Mary suggests chopping the rashers into bite-sized pieces if they’re being used for the potato rosti, or leaving them whole for other dishes.
Grab a large eight-inch frying pan with a lid and warm up a tablespoon of sunflower oil – it’s the secret to getting that extra crunch.
Once the oil is shimmering, lay in the bacon and let it fry on high heat “until crisp”, as Mary advised.
Chopped bacon will be ready in mere minutes, while whole rashers might take around 10 minutes, needing a flip at the halfway mark. Pop the lid on to quicken the process and lock in that crispiness.
Set the bacon aside for later if you’re making the rosti, or tuck in straight away if you can’t resist.
To whip up the rosti, start by grating your peeled potatoes and chopping the onion. Toss the onion into the pan and give it a quick fry before popping on the lid, turning down the heat, and letting it soften for 15 minutes.
Next, bundle your grated spuds into a clean tea towel and give them a good squeeze to get rid of any excess water. This is key to avoiding a soggy rosti.
Combine the drained potatoes with the cooked onion and bacon in a bowl, season well, and mix it all together. Crank up the heat under your pan, add another splash of oil, and when it’s hot enough, spoon in your potato mix.
Press it down with the back of a spoon to create an even layer, then let it cook on low heat for five to 10 minutes. When it’s time to flip, Mary advised: “The easiest way is to turn it upside down onto a plate and then slide it back into the pan (you may need to add a little more oil into the pan first). Cook the other side for another five to 10 minutes, until golden and crisp.”
Finally, fry your eggs in a hot, oiled pan to your preferred level of doneness, slice the rosti into wedges, and crown each piece with an egg to serve.
