Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and green pepper and fry gently for 5 minutes until the onions are soft and lightly coloured.

Put the cornflour into a bowl and mix with a little of the milk to form a smooth paste. Mix in the remaining milk and stir into the vegetables. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring, then when the mixture thickens, add the tomatoes with salt, pepper and cayenne, if using, to taste.

Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs, remove their shells and halve the eggs lengthways. Arrange the halves in a single layer on the base of a warmed serving dish.

Pour the sauce over the eggs, sprinkle with chopped parsley and garnish with rings of onion and green pepper. Serve at once.