This dish is an alternative starter to the regular Christmas Turkey Roast Dinner. It’s intended as a savoury option to the classic Bread and Butter pudding – and each mouthful just explodes with flavours.

If you can’t find any Focaccia, white bread serves as a suitable alternative. If you do use the White Bread, add a range of various herbs to add a mix of flavours – a popular combination of herbs to make Foccacia includes Rosemary, Sage, Rock Salt and Olive Oil.

You can either make this dish in individual ramekins, or as a single dish, and serve in a single tray for people to help themselves to.

To Serve 4

2 Red Onions

1 Medium Butternut Squash

2tbsp Fresh Thyme Leaves

2tbsp Olive Oil

100g Sundried Tomatoes

40g Pine Nuts

2 Whole Eggs

1 Egg Yolk

150ml Double Cream

100ml Milk

40g Grated Parmesan

4 Slices Focaccia, cut into 1cm Chunks

1.       Preheat the oven to 190 C/ Gas Mark 5.

2.       Peel and slice the Onion and peel, deseed and chop the Squash. Toss these with the Thyme leaves and Olive Oil before roasting for thirty minutes.

3.       Add the Tomatoes and nuts and cook for ten more minutes.

4.       Reduce the Oven heat to 180 C/ Gas Mark 4.

5.       Whisk the eggs, cream, milk and three quarters of the Parmesan

6.       Divide the Vegetables between four ovenproof ramekins, top with the Focaccia pour the egg and milk mixture, and scatter over the rest of the cheese.

7.       Bake on a tray for fifteen to twenty minutes, until Golden-brown on top.

Photo Courtesy of Levork