Overnight Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Casserole

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish generously and set aside; cube 8 cups (about 400g) of day-old country bread into 1-inch pieces.

Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat and sweat 1 diced yellow onion with 1 minced garlic clove for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.

Add 500g breakfast sausage, breaking it into small crumbles, and brown for 8 minutes until the pieces are deeply caramelized with crispy edges; stir in 1 tbsp Dijon mustard and 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves off the heat.

Whisk 8 large eggs with 2 1/2 cups (600ml) whole milk, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 2 tbsp grated Parmesan until smooth and pale.

Scatter half the bread cubes across the buttered dish, top with half the sausage mixture and 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar; repeat with the remaining bread, sausage and another 1 cup cheddar.

Slowly pour the egg custard evenly over the layers, gently pressing the bread down with a spatula so every cube soaks up the liquid.

Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight: this hydrates the bread fully and gives the casserole its signature custardy texture.

The next morning, remove from the fridge 30 minutes before baking and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes until the top is deeply golden, puffed at the edges and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Let rest for 10 minutes to set the custard, then sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives and cut into squares.