Baked Eggs in Spinach Tarts

Ingredients...

[1] 450g/1lb ready made shortcrust pastry

[2] 2 tbsp olive oil

[3] 1 small onion, chopped

[4] 1 garlic clove

[5] 350g/12oz young spinach leaves, washed

[6] 2.5ml / 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

[7] 4 tbsp crème fraiche

[8] 0g/2oz gruyere cheese, grated

[9] 7 large Lion Quality eggs

Method....

Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/400F/Gas Mark 6. Cut the pastry into six pieces and thinly roll out each on a lightly floured board. Use to line six 10cm/4in fluted flan tins. Line with greaseproof paper and half fill with baking beans. Bake for 10mins, remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 mins.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan, fry the onion and garlic for 2-3 mins or until soft, then add the spinach leaves, stirring to pack them into the pan. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 3-4mins or until all the leaves have wilted.

Tip the spinach into a sieve and squeeze out the excess liquid. Return to the pan, add the nutmeg, 30ml/2tbsp crème fraiche, 1 beaten egg and half the cheese and plenty of salt and ground black pepper. Mix well.

Divide the spinach between the pastry cases, making a well in the centre of each. Carefully crack an egg into the well in the centre of each, spoon 5ml/1tsp crème fraiche over each and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Bake for 12-15mins or until the tops are pale golden and the eggs just set but the yolks are still a little runny. Serve warm with salad leaves.

-: Thank You :-