Family life has profoundly shaped how I cook at home, leading to a menu often filled with pasta, potato wedges, and various sauces. While my children often assume the kitchen revolves entirely around them, weekend mornings are also the perfect time to host friends for brunch. The goal is to feed a crowd with dishes I genuinely enjoy, keeping the process straightforward and free from unnecessary fuss.
My weekend pancakes, featured in my book Simple Too, are designed for batch cooking. While they are intended to be made on Sunday and reheated throughout the week, in practice, all 22 pancakes are usually devoured by Sunday lunch by my sons, their friends, or whoever happens to be visiting. To make these, whisk 350ml of buttermilk, three eggs (two whole, one white), 70g of melted unsalted butter, and 1 tsp of vanilla bean paste or extract in a jug. If buttermilk is unavailable, create a substitute by curdling 325ml of whole milk with 25ml of lemon juice or white wine vinegar for 15 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk 250g of plain flour, 40g of caster sugar, 2 tsp of baking powder, ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda, and ¾ tsp of salt. Combine the wet and dry mixtures until just incorporated. Fry 3–4 tablespoonfuls of batter in a greased non-stick pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per batch. Serve with a syrup made by simmering 75g of date molasses, 2 tbsp of water, and ⅛ tsp of salt, then whisking in 75g of cubed unsalted butter.
For a savory start, Menemen is a classic Turkish dish of scrambled eggs, spices, and tomatoes. It is incredibly comforting and best prepared by adding the eggs off the heat. Sauté one finely chopped onion, three crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, ½ tsp of Aleppo chilli flakes, and ½ tsp of ground cinnamon in 3 tbsp of olive oil for five minutes. Add 300g of halved cherry tomatoes and 60ml of water, cooking for 10 minutes until the tomatoes break down. Remove from the heat, stir in the lightly beaten eggs (mixed with ½ tsp of salt) until just set, then finish with 1 tbsp of double cream and 5g of chopped coriander.
Another excellent option is a dish inspired by Trinidadian bhaji, developed with my test kitchen colleague Milli Taylor. Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large sauté pan and soften one thinly sliced onion with ¾ tsp of salt for eight minutes. Add 2 tsp of crushed cumin seeds, one pierced Scotch bonnet pepper (or regular red chilli), and four crushed garlic cloves. Stir in 400g of baby spinach leaves and 400ml of coconut milk, simmering for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Create six wells in the mixture, crack an egg into each, season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook for 4–5 minutes. This dish can be prepared in advance up to the point of adding the eggs.
For those who enjoy a hearty tray-bake, my mascarpone and tomato dish is inspired by Simon Hopkinson’s creamed tomatoes on toast. Preheat your oven to 220C (200C fan). Mix 300g of mascarpone, 50ml of double cream, three garlic cloves (one crushed, two sliced), 2 tsp of cornflour, and ¼ tsp of salt in a 26-28cm baking dish. Arrange 600g of ripe, prepared tomatoes on top, drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil, and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, stirring every 15–20 minutes until browned and crisp. Serve with an additional ½ tbsp of oil and fresh thyme.
Finally, I often rely on a granola recipe brought to the test kitchen by my co-author, Verena Lochmuller. Preheat the oven to 160C (140C fan). Combine 275g of jumbo rolled oats, 150g of blanched hazelnuts, 25g of sesame seeds, 50g of pumpkin seeds, 50g of sunflower seeds, and ½ tsp of salt. In a small saucepan, melt 85g of demerara sugar with 110ml of olive oil and 85ml of maple syrup over medium-low heat for five minutes. Stir this into the oat mixture along with 3 tbsp of tahini and 1–2 mashed ripe bananas. Spread on a tray and bake until golden, then transfer to an airtight container once cooled.
For butter enthusiasts, I also recommend butter beans with Urfa chilli butter. Melt 30g of butter in a saucepan over high heat with 1 tsp of Urfa chilli flakes, one chopped preserved lemon (seeds removed), 2 tsp of lemon juice, one sliced onion, two crushed garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp of biber salçasi (or tomato paste). Separately, heat 20g of butter in a large frying pan, add the beans with their liquid, 60ml of water, and 1 tbsp of double cream. Combine these elements and serve with toast, bacon, and semi-hard-boiled eggs. The report also notes that f amily life has had a bigger impact on how I cook at home than almost anything else. The report also notes that and a great many pancakes – more than I would have ever predicted before I had kids. The report also notes that even though that’s their indisputable assumption, but my kitchen on a weekend morning doesn’t only answer to my kids. The report also notes that and what I actually want, most weeks, is one big thing in the middle of the table – generously for everyone, i love having friends over for brunch. The report also notes that with some sausages and sourdough, or a big tray of baked za’atar tomatoes and mascarpone. The report also notes that i feed a lot of people – with the things I really want to eat and without too much fuss: that’s the idea.
