Traditional Panacalty

preparation 20 minutes
cook time 1 hour
Serves 6

A traditional dish throughout the North-East of England, particularly County Durham, panacalty. With layers of corned beef, potatoes and vegetables braised in beef stock, it's easy to see why this was once a regional favourite. In working-class communities and times of austerity this was a great way to use up any leftover vegetables and meat.

Recipe taken from Cooking With Heroes: The Royal British Legion Centenary Cookbook (£19.95, St James' House)

Ingredients Method

4 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
3 carrots, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
680g (2 x 340g tins) corned beef, sliced
550ml beef stock
50g butter, melted
100g smoked bacon lardons
6 medium eggs
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and cracked black pepper
Crusty bread and butter to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4.

Layer a quarter of the sliced potatoes in a lightly buttered ovenproof dish, overlapping slightly, to cover the bottom and season with salt and black pepper.

Add a third of the onions, carrots and corned beef ensuring an even layer. Repeat twice more, creating three layers in total not forgetting to season each layer. Add a final layer of potatoes, again overlapping slightly, season, pour over the beef stock and brush the top with the melted butter.

Lay a sheet of baking parchment or greaseproof paper on the potatoes and cover with tin foil; place in the preheated oven and cook for about 50 minutes.

Once the vegetables have started to soften uncover and cook until golden and the stock has reduced.

In a frying pan cook the smoked bacon over a medium-high heat for around 4–6 minutes or until crispy; remove and keep warm. Use the same pan to fry your eggs and cook to your preference (add a little more oil if necessary).

Serve the panacalty with a fried egg, crispy bacon and chopped parsley on top, and crusty bread and butter on the side.

Cook's Tip: Make a vegetarian panacalty simply by omitting the corned beef (you can substitute it for sliced root veg) and swapping beef stock for veg stock.

SERVE THIS WITH...

Wholemeal Soda Bread

Time 30 minutes

Time Serves 6

Ingredients

4 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 large onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

3 carrots, halved lengthways and thinly sliced

680g (2 x 340g tins) corned beef, sliced

550ml beef stock

50g butter, melted

100g smoked bacon lardons

6 medium eggs

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Salt and cracked black pepper