Anglesey Eggs (Ŵyau Ynys Môn)

Serves	4 to 6
Prep time	20 minutes
Cook time	30 minutes
Total time	50 minutes
Allergy	Egg, Milk, Wheat
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Breakfast, Lunch, Main Dish, Snack
Misc	Child Friendly, Serve Hot
Occasion	Casual Party, Christmas, Easter
Region	British
By author	Karen Burns-Booth

This classic Welsh recipe of mashed potatoes with leeks & hard boiled eggs, is baked in a cheese sauce with a crisp crumb topping, and makes a thrifty and tasty midweek supper dish for all the family. (Please note, that the prep and cooking time is the time it took me to make this dish, and is a guideline only!)

Ingredients

8 hard boiled eggs (shelled and quartered)
1 large leek, or 2 small leeks (trimmed, finely diced and rinsed thoroughly)
50g butter (cut into 2 x 25g pieces)
1 kilo Co-Op Lilly mashing potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks (or mashing potatoes that are available)
2 tablespoons milk
salt and pepper to taste
150g Caerphilly cheese (crumbled and separated into 2 portions)
black pepper to taste

Sauce

25g butter
50g plain flour
600ml milk
sea salt to taste (I used Halen Môn Anglesey Sea Salt)

Topping

50g breadcrumbs

Note

This classic Welsh recipe of mashed potatoes with leeks & hard boiled eggs, is baked in a cheese sauce with a crisp crumb topping, and makes a thrifty and tasty midweek supper dish for all the family. NB: Can easily be halved to serve 2 people, using 4 eggs, the prep and cooking time will be slightly reduced too.

(Please note, that the prep and cooking time is the time that it took me to make this dish, and is to be used as a guideline only!)

Directions

Step 1	Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6. Grease a baking dish or tin with a little butter. Fry the leeks in 25g of butter over a medium heat until they are soft, about 5 minutes.
Step 2	Whilst the leeks are coking, boil the potatoes in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes, or until they are soft but still hold their shape; drain them and add the remaining 25g of butter and milk. Mash them with a masher or with a hand held whisk until smooth, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 3	Add the cooked leeks to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Spoon the mashed potato mixture into the prepared baking dish or tin and arrange the quartered hard boiled eggs on top of the mashed potatoes.
Step 4	Using the same pan that the leeks were cooked in, add the milk, flour and butter, and beat together over a medium heat with a wire whisk continuously until the sauce thickens and is smooth. Allow to simmer for a further 2 minutes. Add one portion (half) of the Caerphilly cheese, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for further minute stirring well. Pour the sauce over the mashed potatoes and eggs.
Step 5	Mix the remaining Caerphilly cheese with the breadcrumbs, and sprinkle over the mashed potatoes, eggs and cheese sauce. Bake in pre-heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese has melted and the dish is bubbling and golden brown.
Step 6	Serve immediately for brunch, lunch or supper.
Step 7	NB: Can easily be halved to serve 2 people, using 4 eggs, the prep and cooking time will be slightly reduced too.