Halloumi and Smoky Bacon Hash

I’m somewhat reluctant to try recipes that require the use of small quantities of several ingredients because I end up procrastinating over what to do with half a pepper, or two-thirds of a bag of spinach in this case. However, I decided to try Halloumi and Smoky Bacon Hash from Pinch of Nom, as due to COVID-19, I’m doing bigger online grocery shops because I don’t want to physically enter a store.

As a consequence, I had the majority of items in to make this, and I’m glad I did. It’s a versatile dish – I had it for lunch, but you could enjoy it for breakfast or brunch. I can’t get enough of halloumi, bacon and mushrooms, and the rest of the ingredients made for a really enjoyable meal topped with a fried egg!

If, like me, you’re wondering what to do with leftover produce – use the halloumi and pepper in Warm Griddled Vegetables, the bacon and mushrooms can go towards Tagliatelle Carbonara, while the spinach, cherry tomatoes and eggs can be used to rustle up Spinach, Tomato and Feta Scrambled Eggs. And hey presto, no food wastage!

Recipe: Halloumi and Smoky Bacon Hash

Calories: 374 calories per serving

Serves: 2

Book: Pinch of Nom – Everyday Light

Prep time: Approx 15 mins

Cooking time: Approx 10 mins

Ingredients: 90g reduced-fat halloumi, low-calorie cooking spray, 4 bacon medallions (diced), 100g cooked new potatoes (cut in half), 100g button mushrooms (halved), ½ red pepper (deseeded and cut into 1cm dice), 6 cherry tomatoes, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp garlic granules, 1 tsp tomato puree, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce or Henderson’s relish, 3 tbsp water, 30g spinach, 2 eggs, sea salt, ground black pepper

Cost per portion: Approx £2.21

Method: Cut the halloumi into twelve-even sized pieces. Spray a frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray, add the halloumi and fry over a medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the outside is golden and crisp. Place on a plate and set aside.

Respray the frying pan. Add the bacon, potatoes, mushrooms and pepper, and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, until the bacon is cooked and potatoes are starting to brown. Add the cherry tomatoes, smoked paprika and garlic granules, stirring well in order to coat the hash with the spices. Add the tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce or Henderson’s relish, and the 3 tablespoons of water. Add the spinach, stir well and turn the heat down to low. Stir in the halloumi.

Spray a second frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and fry the eggs, until they are cooked to your liking. Taste before seasoning with salt and pepper, as the halloumi and bacon both contain salt.

Divide the hash between two dishes and top each with a fried egg before serving.