Vego Toastie Hunt at South Melbourne Market
Before You Head In
A quick hello from Darren Purchese, celebrity chef, author, television personality and the designer of this experience.
On the Day: South Melbourne Market
- •Aim to arrive at South Melbourne Market between 9 and 11 am to settle in before the hunt kicks off. There is a paid rooftop carpark on Coventry Street, with metered and free parking options in the surrounding streets.
- •Expect to spend around 2 hours at the market, then head home for your cook along with Darren.
- •Hunt down each store below and collect everything on Darren's list — the logos will guide you.
💡 Tip: If you'd like a market map to help you navigate, head to the Market Office at the corner of Aisle F and Centre Aisle.
📍 Stop 1
Your first stop — and the most important one
Let them know you have an order under your name for AmazingCo. You'll each choose a bocadillo sandwich and hot drink to sit down and enjoy before the hunt begins.
Coventry Street, Stall 44.
Before you leave, ensure you pick up:
- Orange blossom water
Darren's recommendation
Agathé Pâtisserie
Fresh French pastries baked before your eyes. The queue says it all
Aisle B, Stall 63
📍 Stop 2
Two generations of one family, still cracking on at this very stall
Aisle C, Stall 180.
- Olive oil
- Eggs
- Unsalted butter
- Milk
Darren's recommendation
Mary Martin Bookshop
A cosy corner of the market filled with stories
Aisle F, Stall 138
📍 Stop 3
A husband and wife's love of feeding people, now a four-daughter family affair
Deli Aisle, Stall 7.
- Feta cheese
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Salt flakes
Darren's recommendation
Pickadeli
Produce, cake, and cheese tastings — you won't know what to pick first
Aisle B, Stall S4
📍 Stop 4
Started in a single Oakleigh shop in the 80s, now roasting through the market
Coventry Street, Stall 1.
- Ground hazelnuts
- Whole hazelnuts
- Dark chocolate
- Icing sugar
Darren's recommendation
Cannoleria
Authentic Sicilian cannoli, filled with sweet ricotta and Italian flavour
Aisle B, Stall 72
📍 Stop 5
A Michelin-trained pastry chef swapped fine dining for doughnuts in a tiny Yarraville shopfront
Coventry Street, Stall 42.
- Large sourdough loaf
- Butter croissants
Darren's recommendation
The Little Wine Shop
Twenty-seven years, one devoted owner, and a world of wine, spirits and beers
Aisle B, Stall 65
📍 Stop 6
If it's a hard-to-find ingredient, they've either got it or they'll hunt it down for you
Coventry Street, Stall 46.
💡 Skip the queue! Tell a team member you're with AmazingCo.
- Red onion
- Bunch chives
- Red chilli
- Mint leaves
- Lemon
- Vanilla bean pod
Darren's recommendation
Atypic Chocolate
Unmissable artisan chocolate — you'll smell it before you see it
Cecil St, Stall 88A
Got Everything? Let's Head Home
Double-check you've collected all the ingredients listed above before heading home to cook!
Cook With Darren
Follow Darren's step-by-step cooking tutorial and recipes to turn your market haul into some seriously delicious toasties.
Bulgarian Feta, Caramelised Onion, Lemon & Mint Toastie
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- ½ chilli, finely chopped
- Salt flakes
- Olive oil, mild
- Brioche or sourdough loaf, cut into thick slices
- 100 g Bulgarian feta
- 100 g cheddar, grated
- 75 g parmesan, grated
- 5 mint leaves, finely chopped
- ½ lemon, zest only
- Black pepper
- 90 g unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 75 ml milk
- ½ bunch chives, finely chopped
- 2 red onions, finely sliced
- 1 chilli, finely chopped
- Salt flakes
- Olive oil, mild
- Brioche or sourdough loaf, cut into thick slices
- 200 g Bulgarian feta
- 200 g cheddar, grated
- 150 g parmesan, grated
- 10 mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zest only
- Black pepper
- 180 g unsalted butter
- 4 eggs
- 150 ml milk
- 1 bunch chives, finely chopped
Method
Caramelised onions: Place the sliced onion in a microwave-safe dish. Add a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and the chilli. Cover with a lid, keeping the steam escape closed to retain the moisture. Cook on high for 5 minutes. Remove and stir, then continue cooking in 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until the onions are dark, jammy, and sticky. Set aside until needed.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Chive egg batter: Whisk together the eggs, milk, chives, a sprinkle of lemon zest, and a little parmesan until combined.
Assemble: Lay out your bread slices. Layer the feta, cheddar, and parmesan evenly across half the slices, spreading to the edges. Top with the caramelised onion, mint leaves, lemon zest, and a pinch of black pepper. Close with the remaining bread slices and press down gently.
Cook: Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and melt half the butter. Briefly dip each sandwich in the egg batter on both sides. Cook for a few minutes until the outside is caramelised, then carefully flip and cook for another few minutes. Transfer to a baking paper-lined tray. Wipe the pan, melt the remaining butter, and repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Bake in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Rest for 1 minute, cut in half, and serve immediately with salad. Finish with a sprinkle of salt flakes and extra lemon zest.
While You Cook & Eat
Click below for some extra activities!
Keep the Cooking Going
There's one more recipe up your sleeve. Save it for tomorrow’s breakfast, lunch, or whenever it suits you.
Chocolate Hazelnut Toastie with Orange Blossom
Ingredients
- 2 croissants, sliced in half
- 80 g unsalted butter, softened
- Pinch of salt flakes
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 80 g icing sugar
- 80 g ground hazelnuts
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 50 g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- 20 g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 4 croissants, sliced in half
- 160 g unsalted butter, softened
- Pinch of salt flakes
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 160 g icing sugar
- 160 g ground hazelnuts
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp orange blossom water
- 100 g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- 40 g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Method
Hazelnut cream: Place the butter, salt flakes, vanilla seeds, and icing sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low for 5 minutes, then scrape down the bowl. Add the ground hazelnuts and mix on low for a further 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl again and mix for 1 minute. Add the egg and mix for a couple of minutes, then add the orange blossom water and mix until combined.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Fill the croissants: Place a quarter of the dark chocolate pieces on the bottom half of each croissant. Use a palette knife to spread the hazelnut cream evenly over the chocolate, right to the edges. Close the croissants.
Toast: Heat a sandwich press and cook the croissants for 3 to 4 minutes until crispy on the outside.
Finish: Transfer to a baking tray and bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove, sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts, and serve immediately.