• 1 slice white bread
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 450 g/1 lb minced beef
• 1 small onion (optional)
• 1 egg
• 1 level teaspoon salt
• freshly milled pepper
• seasoned flour
• 40 g/1½ oz butter for frying

Trim the crusts from the slice of bread and crumble the white part into a basin. Add just enough milk to soak the bread and mix with a fork to break it up. Add the minced beef, the finely chopped onion if you like the flavour, the egg, salt and plenty of pepper. Mix the ingredients with a fork to bind them thoroughly together. Texture at this stage is important; if the meat loaf is going to be juicy and succulent the mixture must be moist, but not wet or difficult to handle.

Using wetted hands pat the meat mixture into a neat loaf shape. Roll in seasoned flour to coat lightly on all sides. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the meat loaf and fry gently to brown all over. Then lift from the pan and place in a covered roasting tin.

Add about ½ teacup water to the hot butter in the frying pan then stir and swirl the mixture over the heat to form a little gravy. Pour this over the meat loaf and cover with the lid. Place in the centre of a moderate oven (180°C., 350°F., Gas Mark 4) and cook for 45 minutes. If correctly made the meat loaf will keep its shape beautifully and any juices from the roasting tin should be poured over before serving.