Egg and Chips
Egg and chips is not a compromise meal – it is a deliberate choice. Proper home-cooked chips from the oven, a fried egg with a runny yolk that breaks over everything, and a cup of tea. That is a decent dinner for 80p a portion and no one can tell you otherwise. Oven-baking the chips instead of deep frying saves money on oil and makes them crispy without the grease. This is the real British comfort food.
Egg and Chips
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7. Cut the potatoes into thick chips - leave the skins on for extra crunch and nutrients.
- Toss the chips with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt. Spread them out on a baking tray in a single layer - do not overcrowd them.
- Bake for 25 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crispy.
- When the chips are nearly done, heat the butter and remaining oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Crack the eggs into the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.
- Serve the chips piled on plates with the fried eggs on top. Season with salt and vinegar.
Tips and Variations
Maris Piper potatoes make the best chips – they are fluffy inside and crisp outside. Parboil the chips for 3 minutes before roasting for an even crispier result. Add a side of baked beans or mushy peas to make it a proper plateful for an extra 30p per person.
