Donal Skehan's summer brunch recipes Tomato, Ricotta and Thyme Tartlets with Summer Salad. Photo: Donal Skehan Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd. Photo: Donal Skehan One Pan Tomato Eggs.
Photo: Donal Skehan Mid-August in Ireland is my favourite sweet spot of summer. The days are still long and light, but there’s a gentle shift in the air, a hint of autumn to come. It’s a time to savour the season’s best before it slips away.
Tomatoes are undoubtedly the star of the show this time of year. An essential pilgrimage is to north Co Dublin to McNally’s Family Farm, as there’s nothing quite like an organic McNally’s tomato — their cult following is entirely justified. Sweet, juicy, and bursting with flavour, they elevate any dish.
My garden is also producing courgettes at a relentless pace. I’ve been turning them into simple yet satisfying dishes, like summer ratatouille and a sharp, vinegary dish which douses thinly sliced courgettes in lemon, white wine vinegar and some extra-virgin olive oil with plenty of sea salt — left to sit for a couple of hours will transform them. This week’s three recipes are my go-to for a leisurely weekend brunch, a perfect way to enjoy the last lingering days of summer.
Tomato, ricotta and thyme tartlets with summer salad epitomise the season. Whether you opt for individual rustic tartlets or a grander, shared tart, the combination of sweet tomatoes, creamy ricotta and fragrant thyme is simply irresistible. Serve with a vibrant salad of baby leaves, soft herbs, and edible flowers for a true homemade showstopper.
Next up, ricotta pancakes with lemon curd, another great option. These pancakes are light and fluffy, with a subtle tang from the ricotta. A dollop of creamy lemon curd and a scattering of fresh berries transform them into a decadent treat that’s great for a short-order breakfast for a table full of kiddos.
For a more savoury start to the day, one-pan tomato breakfast eggs is hard to beat. The sweetness of the tomatoes provides the perfect base for perfectly cooked eggs. Served on sourdough toast, it’s a comforting and satisfying dish and just the level of carefree cooking I crave this time of year.
Tomato, Ricotta and Thyme Tartlets with Summer Salad. Photo: Donal Skehan Serves: 4 Time: 1 hour 35 minutes Ingredients For the pastry: Method 1. First, make the pastry.
Place the flour and butter in a bowl and, using a butter knife, cut the butter into the flour until you have a rough pebble mixture. Whisk together the egg with the balsamic vinegar and sea salt in a jug. 2.
Add this to the butter and flour and, using two forks, gently toss through until the dough begins to come together. Add the ice-cold water to bring the dough to a rough ball. Turn the pastry out onto parchment paper or cling film, parcel up and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
3. While the pastry is resting, preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/375F/Gas Mark 5. Slice the tomatoes in half and place in a bowl.
Toss with the olive oil, thyme, oregano and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Set aside at room temperature to allow the flavours to develop. 4.
When the pastry has rested, cut the pastry into quarters and roll each piece out onto a clean, well-floured work surface using a rolling pin, until you have a round shape which will fit a 10cm tartlet tin with a removable base and is about 5mm in thickness. 5. Transfer the pastry to the tartlet tin and cut off any loose edges.
Repeat until you have 4 pastry-lined tartlet tins in total. Prick the pastry bases with a fork and then spread with ricotta cheese. 6.
Place the tomatoes on top and bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until the tomatoes have reduced in size by half, slightly charred and the pastry cases have turned a nutty brown. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the tomato tartlets and serve. Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd.
Photo: Donal Skehan Time: 20 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients Method 1. To make the pancakes, beat the ricotta, buttermilk and egg yolks in a large bowl. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a separate bowl and then add to the ricotta mixture and beat using an electric mixer until smooth.
2. Place the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Using a large, metal spoon, fold half of the beaten egg whites into the ricotta mixture to loosen the mix.
Once loose, fold in the remaining. 3. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat.
Lightly grease with a cube of the butter and drop two tablespoons of the batter per pancake into the pan — don’t try to cook more than three in one batch. 4. Fry for 2 minutes or until golden, then turn over and fry for another minute or so until puffed up and golden.
Keep warm on a baking tray in a low oven while you finish cooking the remainder, using up the rest of the butter each time you clear the pan. 5. Arrange the pancakes on warmed plates with the raspberries, blueberries, yoghurt and lemon curd.
One Pan Tomato Eggs. Photo: Donal Skehan Serves: 2 Time: 50 minutes Ingredients Method 1. Heat a tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy-based, large sauté pan over medium heat and fry the prosciutto until crisp.
Remove and set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper. 2. Add the remaining oil and fry the garlic until just golden before adding the chilli flakes and tomatoes.
Sauté for 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes are catching colour and beginning to burst. Halfway through this, begin to mash half the tomatoes — this will create a sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens a little, season to taste and then add the spinach.
Cook for an additional 5 minutes until completely wilted. 3. Using the back of a spoon, create four little wells in the pan and then crack an egg into each.
Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until the whites of the eggs begin to set. Arrange the prosciutto among the eggs. 4.
Serve straight away while still hot with sourdough toast, plenty of sea salt and black pepper and garnish with basil leaves. Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Stay up to date with all the latest news.
