Crispy Filo Nests with Whipped Labneh & Baked Egg

Sundays and I had a bit of a love-hate relationship growing up.

The mornings were lovely. They felt slower and a little more relaxed, without the usual rush of getting ready for school. There was time to sit around, watch television, and enjoy breakfast without constantly looking at the clock.

But somewhere around Sunday afternoon, the reminders would start dropping.

Have you checked your timetable?

Is your homework finished?

Do you have all your stationery?

Is your school bag ready?

Because Monday was coming.

And Monday was definitely not my favourite day.

Still, one thing that made Sunday mornings feel extra special: Sunday breakfast.

It was also the only meal my parents would occasionally allow us to eat in front of the television, which, as children, somehow made breakfast feel like an event. That tiny change from the everyday routine made Sundays memorable.

Now, years later, I find myself wanting to create some of those little Sunday traditions for my own children.

So I made these crispy filo breakfast nests filled with whipped labneh, feta, fresh dill, and baked egg, finished with a drizzle of chilli butter.

And I realised something while making them.

My children don’t seem to carry that same Sunday-evening dread that I remember so clearly. Instead, they’re often excited about what the coming week might bring—friends, school activities, new things to learn, and stories waiting to happen.

Sunday isn’t necessarily the gloomy reminder that Monday is around the corner anymore.

And I am quite glad that has changed.

If anything, it makes me want to keep Sunday mornings slow, delicious, and just a little bit special.

Crispy Filo Breakfast with Labneh, Feta & Egg

Crisp, buttery filo pastry is shaped into little rustic vessels and filled with creamy garlic-and-dill labneh before an egg is baked right in the centre. The edges turn beautifully golden and flaky, while sesame seeds add another layer of nuttiness. A final drizzle of warm chilli butter brings everything together.

It looks impressive but is actually incredibly easy to put together.

Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Baking time: 15-20 minutes
Makes 4 individual filo breakfasts

Ingredients

• Filo pastry, 8 sheets
• Melted butter, for brushing: 50–60 g
• Labneh 200 g
• Feta cheese, crumbled: 50 g
• Garlic clove, finely grated: 1 small clove
• Fresh dill, finely chopped: 2 tbsp
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Eggs 4
• Sesame seeds, 1–2 tsp

For the chilli butter

• Butter 25 g
• Chilli flakes ½–1 tsp
• Paprika or Aleppo pepper, optional ½ tsp

Method

1. In a bowl, combine the labneh, crumbled feta, grated garlic, chopped dill and a generous grinding of black pepper. Whip everything together until the mixture becomes creamy and well combined.
2. You don’t really need additional salt here because both the labneh and feta already bring plenty of flavour. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Lay one sheet of filo pastry on your work surface and brush lightly with melted butter.
3. Place a second sheet on top and brush again with butter. Gently gather and scrunch the filo towards the centre, creating a loose circular shape with slightly raised edges—almost like a shallow rustic bowl or nest.
4. Don’t worry about making it perfect. The irregular folds are exactly what become beautifully crisp in the oven.
5. Repeat with the remaining filo sheets to make four portions. Carefully transfer them onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.
6. Spoon a generous amount of the whipped labneh mixture into the centre of each filo nest. Using the back of a spoon, create a small hollow in the middle. Carefully crack one egg into each hollow.
7. Brush the exposed filo edges with a little more melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until the filo is crisp and deeply golden around the edges and the egg whites are set.
8. The exact baking time will depend on how soft or firm you prefer your yolks.
9. While the filo is baking, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the chilli flakes and paprika or Aleppo pepper, if using.
10. Let everything sizzle gently for a few seconds before removing it from the heat. Take the filo breakfasts straight from the oven and drizzle generously with the warm chilli butter.
11. Finish with a little extra dill, black pepper or crumbled feta if you like. Serve immediately while the filo is at its crispiest and the centre is still warm and creamy.

A Sunday Breakfast Worth Slowing Down For

This is exactly the kind of breakfast I love for weekends.

There is the crunch of buttery filo, the tanginess of labneh and feta, a little freshness from the dill, the richness of the baked egg and that final warm hit of chilli butter.

It feels special without requiring hours in the kitchen.

Perhaps that is what I want my children to remember about Sundays too—not the thought of Monday waiting around the corner, but slow mornings, something delicious on the table and the feeling that a whole new week is waiting ahead.