Anglesey Eggs or Wyau Ynys Môn
A thick layer of mashed potatoes loaded with sweet, buttery leeks, a few hard boiled eggs, topped with a creamy, unctuous Caerphilly and cheddar cheese sauce and a crispy, cheesy topping! Serves 4
Ingredients
For the potato and leek layer –
- 500g mashed potatoes
- 400g/2 large or 3 medium leeks, cleaned and sliced
- 40g unsalted butter
- 4 – 6 eggs, hard boiled
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the cheese sauce –
- 45g unsalted butter
- 45g plain/all-purpose flour
- 500g milk
- 75g Caerphilly cheese
- 75g cheddar cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the topping –
- 50g breadcrumbs
- 25g cheddar cheese
- 25g Caerphilly cheese
- small ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
-
Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
-
Preheat oven to Fan Oven 160°C/180°C/350°F/Gas 4
-
Start by preparing the potato and leek layer: trim, wash and slice the leeks. (See Recipe Notes)
-
Heat the butter in a large frying pan and add the leeks. Cook on a medium heat for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until very soft and lightly caramelised.
-
When cooked, add to the mashed potatoes. Mix thoroughly and season to taste. (See Recipe Notes)
-
Spread into the base of a baking dish greased with butter.
-
Boil the eggs: boil the eggs whilst the leeks are cooking. Put the eggs into a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 6 – 7 minutes. Drain and cover with cold water to prevent further cooking. (See Recipe Notes)
-
When cool enough to handle, remove the shells and slice in half.
-
Use a spoon to make an indent into the potato and leek mixture. Add the eggs into these indents and push to make a flattish surface.
-
Make the cheese sauce: whilst the leeks and eggs are cooking, make the sauce. Grate the cheese; separate the cheese you need for the sauce and the cheese you need for the topping and set aside.
-
Melt the butter and add the flour. Mix well and cook, stirring, over a moderate heat for 2 minutes.
-
Add the milk, all at once, and beat enthusiastically with a balloon whisk, over a moderate heat until the sauce thickens. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes, stirring continuously.
-
Add the cheese set aside for the sauce, and continue to cook, stirring, until the cheese has melted. This should only take a minute or two.
-
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and then pour evenly over the eggs.
-
Cover with kitchen foil and cook in a pre-heated oven for:
- 15 minutes, if cooking immediately, or
- 25 minutes, if the dish was prepared in advance and stored in the fridge.
-
The topping: mix the breadcrumbs, the grated cheese set aside for the topping and some seasoning.
-
Remove the dish from the oven and remove the foil. Scatter over the breadcrumb mix and return to the oven, without the foil, for a further 20 – 30 minutes or until piping hot, golden brown and crispy.
-
To serve: either serve as it is or with some fresh bread, bacon and/or sausages or some salad or additional vegetables on the side.
Recipe Notes
Equipment:
- kitchen scales and measuring spoons
- chopping board and knife
- grater for the cheese
- mixing bowl
- saucepans x 2
- deep baking dish 20cms/8in x 20cms/8in, buttered
Wash the leeks:
Make sure you wash the leeks carefully; dirt or soil can find its way between the layers!
Seasoning the potatoes and leeks:
The amount of salt and pepper needed will depend on how well seasoned the mashed potatoes are.
Eggs:
Put the eggs into a saucepan in which they fit snugly. You want them to move around as little as possible. Cover with cold water and bring to a simmer - coveriung with cold water helps prevent the shells cracking from the heat. Once simmering cook for 6 – 7 minutes. My eggs were quite large and I cooked them for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, drain and cover with cold water to prevent further cooking.