I served this up as a vegetarian starter at one of my pop-ups and the meat-eaters were jealous.
This never fails to impress. Even better, you can get prepped in advance if you want some time to enjoy breakfast yourself.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
3 soft flour tortillas, cut in half
6 free-range eggs
150 g (5½ oz) lamb’s lettuce
80 g (2¾ oz) feta, crumbled
150 ml (5 fl oz) sour cream
sprinkle of smoked paprika
1–2 jalapeños, sliced
Smoky Tomatoes
1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 x 400 g (14 oz) tin of tomatoes
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
sprinkle of finely chopped oregano
Gruyère Sauce
50 g (1¾ oz) salted butter
½ teaspoon English mustard
2 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour
350 ml (12 fl oz) semi-skimmed milk
70 g (2½ oz) gruyère, grated
METHOD
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4).
2 For the smoky tomatoes, place all the ingredients in a pan and season with salt and pepper. Leave to cook over medium heat while you make the gruyère sauce.
3 To make the gruyère sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium–low heat, then whisk in the mustard and flour and keep stirring until it forms a paste. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, until you have a thick sauce. Add the cheese, season with salt and pepper and keep stirring until the cheese melts to make a smooth, lump-free sauce.
4 Take a six-hole 250 ml (1 cup) non-stick muffin tin and press half a tortilla into each hole. Bake in the oven for about 3 minutes, then add a spoonful of the smoky tomatoes, followed by a dollop of cheesy sauce and an egg yolk, plus a little of the egg white, being careful that it doesn’t spill over the sides. Bake for 5–10 minutes until the tortillas start to crisp but the egg yolks are still runny.
5 Garnish with lamb’s lettuce, a few dots of feta and sour cream, a sprinkling of paprika and some slices of jalapeño. Season with salt and pepper, then serve immediately.
Tip: Add the egg yolk first, then just a little of the white, so it won’t spill over the sides in the oven. You can use any left-over egg white to make macaroons.
Recipe and images from Eat The Week by Anna Barnett (Murdoch Books) $35, available now in all good bookstores and online.
