HIgh Country staple – perfect for smoko or lunch, hot or cold
There are some recipes that just quietly earn their place in the kitchen rotation. No fuss, no fanfare — they simply work. This zucchini and bacon slice is one of those. It’s been baked more times than I can count, wrapped in tea towels, tucked into chilly bins, sliced for smoko, packed for school lunches, and eaten standing at the bench while the kettle boils
It also happens to feature in my first book, A High Country Life — because it’s exactly the kind of food that reflects how we eat out here. Honest. Practical. Filling. And made with ingredients you usually already have in the fridge.
This is the sort of slice that suits every part of the day. Warm with a dollop of chutney for lunch. Cold the next day straight from the fridge. Cut into squares for smoko. Or wrapped up and taken out to the yards when there’s no time for plates or cutlery.
A proper high-country all-rounder
Zucchini has a habit of appearing in abundance just when you’re running out of ideas, and this recipe is one of my favourite ways to use it up. The bacon adds saltiness and substance, the cheese gives it richness, and the whole thing comes together in minutes — no fancy steps, no mixer required.
It’s also incredibly forgiving. Add a handful of herbs if you’ve got them. Swap the cheese for whatever’s in the fridge. Leave the slice a little longer in the oven if you like a golden top. This is cooking that fits around life, not the other way around.
And honestly, there’s something comforting about a recipe you know will work every time — especially on busy days when smoko needs to be quick, filling, and enjoyed wherever you happen to land
Why I love this slice
- It feeds a crowd without fuss
- It’s just as good cold as it is hot
- It travels well (no soggy bottoms here)
- It’s perfect for smoko, lunchboxes or an easy dinner
- It uses simple, everyday ingredients
It’s also one of those recipes people ask for after they’ve had a piece — usually scribbled on the back of an envelope or sent as a quick message later that night.
A little note from the station kitchen
This slice has been eaten at kitchen tables, on ute tailgates, and in the woolshed smoko room more times than I can remember. It’s the kind of food that doesn’t need dressing up — just good ingredients, a hot oven, and a bit of time to sit and enjoy it.
If you’ve got a glut of zucchini, a pack of bacon in the fridge, and hungry people to feed, this one won’t let you down.
You’ll find the full recipe in A High Country Life — along with plenty more of the food we cook, eat, and share here on the station.
And if you do make it? Cut yourself a generous slice. You’ve earned it.
Zucchini and Bacon Slice
Ingredients
Whisk together:
- 3 Eggs
Grate and add:
- 2 Zucchini
- 1 Cup Cheese
- ½ Onion (optional)
Chop and add:
- 2 Rashers Chopped Bacon
Fold through:
- ½ Cup Self Raising Flour
- ¼ Cup Milk
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Grease or line a ceramic quiche dish.
- Pour in the mixture and bake for 35 minutes
Notes
- Replace the milk with oil and it becomes dairy free.
- It’s easily doubled for a big crowd.
- If you have no zucchini then substitute it for chopped leaks, silverbeet or kale.
- During summer, grate any excess zucchini into a tea towel and squeeze out the excess moisture. Pack as much zucchini as you can into silicon moulds and freeze. Once frozen pop the rounds out, and place in an old bread bag or container in the freezer to use throughout the year.
- If you want to eat this cold from the dish then I’d recommend not using baking paper, as it will sweat. Instead grease the dish well and it will come out perfectly.
- If this is going in a packed lunch, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. Slice once cool, and place in the fridge until needed.