Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Tear the bread into pieces and soak them in ½ cup of the milk in a small bowl for 5 minutes, then squeeze out and reserve the excess milk. Set the soaked bread aside.

In a large oven-safe skillet or heavy-bottomed sauté pan, heat the oil or butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and all the dry spices — curry powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and allspice — directly to the onions. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the spices are fragrant and toasted. This step matters: don't skip it and don't rush it.

Add the ground beef to the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fully browned and no pink remains, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.

Stir in the apricot jam, white wine vinegar, golden raisins, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine. Remove from heat.

Squeeze any remaining milk from the soaked bread and crumble the bread into the meat mixture. Stir to combine evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning — the filling should be warmly spiced with a subtle sweet-tart note.

Transfer the filling to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish (or leave in the oven-safe skillet) and press it down into an even, compact layer.

In a small bowl, whisk together the 3 eggs with the remaining ½ cup of milk (plus any reserved milk from the bread-soaking, up to ½ cup total) and a small pinch of salt until smooth. Pour this custard evenly over the top of the meat filling. Lay the bay leaves gently on top of the custard.

Bake uncovered at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custard is set, just firm in the center, and golden on top. Rest for 5 minutes before serving. Remove and discard or set aside the bay leaves as you plate.