(Serves 4-6)
I admit it, I am LONGING for fall. Cooler days. Baking. Sweaters. This summer has been terribly hot, so lately I have been thumbing through my cookbooks and planning all the things I want to make when fall finally arrives. Certainly, there are more productive things I could do with my time, but as I was looking at an apple and pear galette recipe, I thought… wouldn’t that be an interesting way to make eggs? How about eggs with a nice soft bed of creamy spinach, potatoes, and cheese. That sounded fantastic. Turns out – it is!
This recipe is a nice option for a weekend breakfast or brunch, but I also like it for dinner. Who doesn’t like breakfast for dinner? Especially a recipe that can be made, either in whole or in part, ahead of time. Lovely… no matter when you eat it.
You Will Need:
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling on crust
- 1 premade refrigerated pie crust (or make your own)
- 2 medium-large Yukon gold potatoes
- 6 eggs
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Fresh chives, for topping
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Scrub the potatoes. Pierce with a knife and cook in the microwave for 4-5 minutes. Let cool.
- Stem and roughly chop the spinach, set aside.
- Put the cream into a skillet over medium-high heat. Grate the clove of garlic into the cream with a handheld grater. Bring the cream to a bubble, reduce the heat.
- Add the spinach to the cream, season with salt and pepper, and let wilt. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the mixture is thick and creamy, stirring occasionally. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, slice the potatoes about ¼ inch thick.
- Carefully unroll the pie crust. Place on a piece of parchment paper on top of a large cookie sheet (or sheet pan). Roll out the pie crust a little bit with a rolling pin, maintaining a uniform thickness.
- Spread the creamed spinach over the pie crust leaving about a 1 ½ inch border on the crust.
- Lay the potatoes on top of the spinach, leaving some empty spots for the egg yolks to sit. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar over the potatoes.
- Gently fold the pie dough up and over the sides of the filling, pleating as you go around the circle. If the dough cracks or tears, pinch it back together.
- Melt the butter and brush on the exposed top and sides of the pie crust. Sprinkle a little bit of parmesan cheese onto the buttered crust.
- Crack the eggs on the top, season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until the eggs are cooked to your desired doneness.
- Top with chives, cut into wedges, and serve.
There are two methods to make the recipe ahead:
1 – Make the creamed spinach and cook/slice the potatoes ahead of time. Refrigerate. Gently warm the spinach in the microwave just until it is spreadable. Assemble the rest of the dish and bake as described.
2 – Make the recipe up through assembling the galette on the pan and folding/pleating the crust. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, melt and brush on the butter, sprinkle with parmesan, crack the eggs, season, and bake as described.
