It's funny, you can get so stuffy about your profession sometimes and begin to fall into the trap that you know it all. My profession is food, but I would assume that it is an abyss that you can fall into in any discipline.

It only takes a deceptively simple idea to come along and knock you back to earth and mine came with a bit of Italian cured pork on a slice of bread. Let me give you the background. I am lucky enough to be working with a fantastic new restaurant manager, Italian in origin, who really enjoys the good things in life. He seems to attack work, life and food with an added vigour that has become an infectious element to the whole team.

One day recently, starting work, I noticed him slicing into the freshly baked loaves that had just been delivered. They were still steaming in the vivid winter morning sun. By fortuitous chance, a delivery of freshly sliced prosciutto had also just arrived. Without ceremony he ripped out a few slices and topped the still hot bread with a tantalizing drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and cracked pepper. I was hooked from that second on.

It may well be an incident that is set in time for one experience and one person only, but I truly feel that this is the breakfast of champions. That said, I will provide this extremely simple recipe, but just remember to use the best. Fresh ciabatta bread or pane di casa, freshly sliced prosciutto, good quality olive oil and the dining company of someone you dig.

Ingredients

  • 1 steaming fresh loaf of ciabatta
  • 4 slices of prosciutto
  • 20 ml (1 Tbs) extra virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Method

    Slice the bread into thick wedges. Drape with the prosciutto and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with pepper and eat without ceremony.

    Serves 2 friends.