Friday’s for junk food and Sunday’s for extensive breakfast at our house. My son loves long-lasting breakfasts! Dinner? Not so much, but a big breakfast is really his thing. From the time he was old enough, he’s been helping me cook up a storm, especially on Sunday morning. It’s our moment. Young as he is, he knows his way around the kitchen alright.

Here’s a recipe I threw together a few years ago, mainly when I wanted to get him accustomed to as many flavors as possible before the picky-eater phase would set in. It’s a simple, hearty and wholesome breakfast with an almost Spanish twist to it. It’s should easily get you through the morning.

I’m not using cheese for our casserole. So many flavors going on that I really don’t think it needs it. Plus, I try to keep it as healthy as possible, but by all means, be my guest and throw some cheese on top.

Ingredients:

1 pound potatoes
6 slices of bacon
1 bell pepper
1 large onion
2 tomatoes
handful black olives
sweet paprika powder (smoky)
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp oil
3 eggs
parsley
pepper
salt

Optional: jalapeño

Directions:

Use potatoes that hold their shape. Wash and cube them and parboil them for 10 minutes in lightly salted water, until tender.

Slice the onion in half-quarts.

Wash and slice the bell pepper in thin strips and grate the garlic.

Cut the olives in half. Or in 4 when using large olives.

Finely chop your tomatoes.

This is optional, but I like a little kick to my casserole so I’ll chop a few slices red jalapeño. Not enough to get it flaming hot but enough to throw in a little heat.
 

Why I call this a Spanish-style casserole is because now and then I use chorizo instead of bacon. That along with the smoky paprika and olives creates an almost Spanish flavor.

Cook the bacon slices and drain them on a paper towel. Don’t clean out the pan!

Add 2 tbsp oil to the bacon fat.

Cook the onion for 2 minutes, add the bell pepper strips and give it another 3 minutes before adding the garlic and jalapeño.

Add the tomatoes. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. This will give the liquid coming from the tomatoes a chance to evaporate and will soften the vegetables.

Drain the potato cubes.

Finely mince the parsley. I always use flat-leaf parsley.

10 minutes fly by! Add the potatoes to the skillet and season everything with a good pinch of salt and pepper and (smoky) sweet paprika to taste. Stir in the olives. Let everything heat through for a few minutes.

Transfer it to an oven dish and crumble in the bacon.

Make a little room for the egg with the back of your spoon (not all the way to the bottom) and break the eggs in there.

Bake the casserole at 450F (225C) for roughly 10 to 12 minutes, until the eggs are set. Keep in mind that eggs cooked in the oven seem to be drier on top, but the egg yolk underneath should still be runny.

Sprinkle the parsley on top and serve with crusty bread and lots of coffee and/or milk. Breakfast is ready, guys!