Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Put a large pan of salted water onto boil. Trim the sprouts and pull off any ragged leaves. Halve or quarter them so they are all roughly the same size. When the water is boiling, add the sprouts and simmer for 3 mins. Drain well and tip into an ovenproof dish.

2. Coarsely grate the Gruyère cheese. Add ¾ of the Gruyère to the dish with the sprouts. Season with a small pinch of salt and a generous pinch of black pepper. Stir to mix.

3. Pop a frying pan on a medium-high heat and add 1 tsp oil. Add the pancetta and fry for 2-3 mins, stirring, till the pancetta is golden brown and crisp. Scoop the pancetta out of the pan and scatter over the sprouts.

4. Pour the cream over the sprouts and pancetta. Top with the remaining Gruyère and the breadcrumbs. Slide into the oven and bake for 30-35 mins till golden and bubbling (you can pop the dish on a baking tray to stop any sauce spilling over the dish onto the oven). Serve straight away. This gratin serves 2 as a main dish, with a peppery salad on the side. Or serve it as a side dish as part of a roast dinner.