**Savory eggy bread with buttered leeks & parmesan** — stale bread is actually ideal for this. Everything's vegetarian, one pan, ~20 min.

**Do this:**

1. **Prep (3 min):** Slice the leek half into thin half-moons and rinse well (leeks hide grit). Cut the bread into thick slices (~2 cm). Beat the 4 eggs in a shallow dish with salt, pepper, and a small handful of grated parmesan.
2. **Leeks (6–7 min):** Melt a good knob of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the leeks with a pinch of salt until soft and lightly golden. Scoop onto a plate.
3. **Soak (2 min):** Press the bread slices into the egg mixture, flipping once so they soak through but don't collapse.
4. **Fry (5–6 min):** Add more butter to the pan. Fry the eggy bread over medium heat until deep golden on both sides and just set in the middle.
5. **Plate:** Stack the eggy bread, pile the leeks on top, and finish with more parmesan and black pepper.

**Optional upgrades if you have them:** a clove of garlic with the leeks, chili flakes, or a squeeze of lemon at the end.

It eats like a rich, savory French toast — crispy edges, soft middle, sweet leeks, salty cheese. Solid dinner, not a sad fridge-clearing exercise.