A good start

Weekend breakfasts are like a religion for me. The perfect Saturday morning begins with tea, a stroll to the deli around the corner for fresh bread and the paper, followed by a potter in the kitchen while the Grateful Guinea Pig prepares the table in the garden – all culminating in an indecently lavish spread that we’ll pick over for hours (we’ve been known to breakfast through lunch...).
Every now and then I’ll be inspired to try something unusual. This is the product of pondering what to make for breakfast while also considering whether I should make Orangette’s Chickpea Salad with Lemon and Parmesan (see here) to go with lunch. And there you have it: a most palatable start to the perfect Saturday.


(Sort-of) Eggs Florentine with Parmesan and Chickpeas
Makes 4

1 x 400g can chickpeas
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 eggs
175ml cream

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. In a bowl, combine the chickpeas, Parmesan and olive oil. Season to taste. Divide the mixture between four buttered ramekins, and crack an egg over each (be careful not to break the yolk). Top with the cream and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan, and bake for about 10 minutes (or until the yolks are as you like them).
Serve with toasted chunks of ciabatta and slices of Roma tomato.