Cheesy Bread Pudding

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When your kitchen caters for just one, the last few slices of bread in the loaf often become stale and this simple homely dish is a great way to use them up. Chunks of buttered bread cooked in a cheese-flavoured savoury custard is comfort food at its best!

Serves 1

75 g/3 oz (about 3 slices) thickly sliced white or oatmeal bread
1 egg
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cup milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A little softened butter for greasing
50 g/2 oz/½ cup grated Gruyère or Cheddar cheese

1. Place an upturned saucer or a metal pastry (paste) cutter in the base of the ceramic cooking pot and pour in 2.5 cm/1 in of very hot (not boiling) water. Switch on to Auto or Low.
2. Cut the bread into small cubes about 1 cm/½ in square.
3. Lightly beat the egg in a mixing bowl, then stir in the milk and season with a little salt and pepper. Add the bread cubes and leave to soak for 5 minutes while measuring and preparing the rest of the ingredients.
4. Thickly grease the base and sides of a 600 ml/1 pint/2½ cup heatproof dish about 5 cm/2 in deep (make sure first that it fits inside the ceramic cooking pot). Add about half of the cheese to the soaked bread mixture and stir gently to combine. Tip into the prepared dish.
5. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top and cover the dish with clingfilm (plastic wrap) or foil.
6. Place the dish on top of the saucer or pastry cutter in the pot, then pour in enough boiling water to come half-way up the dish. Cover with the lid and cook for 2-4 hours or until the custard is lightly set.
7. Carefully remove the dish from the pot and serve the cheesy bread pudding hot with a tomato or green salad.

Cook's tips
For a browned top place under a moderate grill (broiler) until puffed up and golden brown.
For a chilli tomato cheese and bread pudding, add a pinch of crushed dried chilli flakes and use either sun-dried tomato flavoured bread or add 25 g/1 oz of finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes when soaking the bread.

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