A weekend brunch for six that you prep the night before

Brunch has a reputation for being easy, and then you find yourself flipping eggs while six people sit hungry. The fix is to move most of the work to the evening before. Do it right and the morning is mostly about turning on the oven and pouring coffee.

The menu

This plan serves six and uses one oven, one hob and no last-minute frying.

• Baked egg and bread strata (make-ahead)
• Oven-roasted potatoes with paprika
• Fruit salad with lime and mint
• Yoghurt bar with granola and honey
• Coffee, tea and juice

Add a bowl of greens or a plate of smoked salmon if you want something fresh and savoury on the table.

The night before: strata

A strata is a savoury bread pudding. It needs to rest overnight, which suits you perfectly.

1. Butter a 23 x 33 cm baking dish.
2. Cut about 450 g of day-old bread into 2 cm cubes and spread them in the dish.
3. Scatter over 200 g of grated cheese (cheddar or Gruyere), plus cooked fillings: sautéed mushrooms, spinach squeezed dry, or crisp bacon or ham.
4. Whisk 8 eggs with 500 ml of milk, 1 tsp of salt, black pepper and a spoon of Dijon mustard.
5. Pour over the bread, press it down gently so it soaks, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Swap the filling to suit your guests. A vegetarian version with mushrooms, spinach and onions is just as good. If anyone has an egg or dairy allergy, offer a separate dish instead of changing this one.

The night before: everything else

• Wash and chop the potatoes into 2.5 cm pieces, then keep them in cold water in the fridge. Drain and dry them well in the morning.
• Cut the fruit that holds up (melon, pineapple, apples with lemon juice). Leave berries and bananas for the morning.
• Set the table with plates, cups, cutlery, napkins and serving spoons.
• Fill the coffee maker with water and grounds, ready to switch on.
• Put a tray of glasses out, along with a jug for juice.

The morning timeline

For a 10:30 brunch:

• 9:30 Take the strata out of the fridge. Heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
• 9:40 Toss the dried potatoes with 3 tbsp oil, salt and 1 tsp smoked paprika, and spread on a tray.
• 9:45 Slide the potatoes in. After 15 minutes, put the strata on the shelf below.
• 10:00 Add berries and mint to the fruit salad. Set out yoghurt, granola and honey.
• 10:15 Start the coffee. Pour juice.
• 10:30 Check the strata. It is ready when the centre is set and no liquid runs when you press it, and a thermometer reads 74 degrees C. If the top browns too fast, cover loosely with foil. Rest it for 5 minutes before cutting.

The strata usually needs 45 to 55 minutes, and the potatoes about 35 to 40, turning once. Adjust if your oven runs hot.

What can go wrong

• Soggy bottom. Use bread that is a day or two old, or dry the cubes in a low oven for 10 minutes first.
• Undercooked middle. Take the dish out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking, and use a thermometer if you have one.
• Crowded oven. If the tray and dish do not fit, bake the potatoes first and keep them warm under foil while the strata finishes.
• Late guests. Strata and potatoes hold well for 20 minutes under foil. Don’t cook eggs to order.
• Drinks running out. Make a double batch of coffee into a thermos and keep a second jug of juice cold.

Make it feel like an occasion, not a chore

Put the food on the table in the dishes it cooked in. A bowl of lemon wedges, a jar of good jam and a plate of butter will make it feel generous. Keep the playlist soft. Let people help themselves, and let someone else pour the coffee when they offer.

A calm finish

A good brunch is not about complicated food. It is about having the kitchen quiet enough that you can enjoy the people you invited. If this is your first time hosting, our dinner parties section has more menus to build on. For help with costs, see how to budget a dinner party per head.

Always cook egg dishes until fully set. This article offers general food-safety information, not medical advice.