Scotch Egg
The Scotch egg is considered one of the most ingenious inventions of British cuisine: a hard-boiled egg completely wrapped in a layer of seasoned sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs and fried to a golden crust. Although the name suggests Scottish origins, the exact origin is disputed — some accounts credit the invention to the grand London department store Fortnum & Mason in the 18th century, as a portable snack for carriage travellers. Other theories link the dish to Mughlai Indian cuisine, brought back to Britain by returning colonists, where minced meat wrapped various fillings. Whatever its origin, the Scotch egg has become a British staple, just as suited cold in a picnic basket as it is hot, fresh from the fryer, with a slightly creamy yolk at its centre.
Whole boiled egg
A hard-boiled egg sits at the centre
Meat coating
The egg is wrapped in a layer of sausage meat
Crisp crust
Coated in egg and breadcrumbs before frying
Cold snack
Excellent hot or cold on a picnic
Ingredients 4 servings
- 6 large eggs, plus 2 for coating
- 500 g pork sausage meat
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 100 g plain flour
- 150 g breadcrumbs
- Oil for frying
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
How to make it
- 1Boil 6 eggs for 7 minutes for a slightly creamy yolk, then cool quickly in iced water and carefully peel them.
- 2Mix the sausage meat with mustard, thyme, salt, pepper and parsley until well combined.
- 3Divide the meat into 6 equal portions and flatten each into a thin disc on a damp surface.
- 4Place one boiled egg in the centre of each disc and wrap the meat completely around it, sealing the edges well.
- 5Roll each wrapped egg in flour, then beaten egg, then finally in breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to help them stick.
- 6Heat the oil to 170°C and fry the eggs for 8-10 minutes, turning often, until evenly golden.
- 7Drain on paper towels and let cool slightly before halving and serving.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
