Finally! The hearty breakfast tart recipe is here! I am not used to writing recipes so it´s a bit of a mess and too long, but hey, it´s something. Simpler than the length of the recipe makes it seem too. Really look forward to some of you trying these and posting the results. Feedback and improvements would be really nice. So yeah, enjoy!
Ingredients:
-6 medium sized eggs (at least. Extras are great if you damage a yolk). Best you can get is worth it, as the yolk on free-range is just more delicious.
-2 cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped. (If you can only get the dry kind either leave it out of use half a clove at most imho. This should not be garlicy in the harsh way).
-Walnuts
-Fresh leafy green (I prefer spinach, but season dictates)
-Fresh mushrooms (chantarelles rule for me, but, again, seasons. Needs some flavor intensity though.)
-Fresh herbs. Definetly sage & some parsley. Bit of thyme and some rosemary can also go a long way. Basil too for a lighter version.
-Premade puff pastry
-Mozarella (buffalo of course preferred, but not that important here)
-Parmesan (I´d say at least 12 months old, preferably 22, which is my sweet spot)
-Salt & Pepper (as I will mention again later the earthyness of tellicherry pepper and the sulfur of pink Himalayan salt are just perfect here)
-Chipotle (and perhaps habanero) chili powder
-Smoked paprika powder
-Shallots, finely chopped
-Proper butter
General process advice/notes:
-Prepare the pastry while the walnuts are in the oven and do the vegetables straight after, at the latest when the pastry hits the oven.
-If you have good produce there really only are two skills involved here imho: Proper use of salt as the culinary magnifying glass and separating the egg yolks without damaging them.
It is an extravagant recipe, but not an especially hard one. All about the details.
And don´t be like I often am and actually read the entire recipe before starting. Preparation is key here!
-Start preparing and laying out the stuff you need. Really. Do yourself that favor.
-Preheat oven to 175C.
-Chop up walnuts.
-Place them in a tray, single layer, and toast them in the oven for 8(-10) minutes.
-Increase oven temperature to 200C.
-Meanwhile, take premade puff pastry and give it a good rub with smoked paprika and some chipotle powder. Also add a pinch of salt. Here we are looking for some base flavor and a hint of smoke in the final product.
-Flip it so the coated side is down and roll it up to a long roll. Having the spice outside is so much prettier.
-Cut in half and then each half into three parts.
-Set the pieces upright and flatten them with your hand.
-Put the pieces in a muffin tray and work them up the sides so they fill the mold fully, slightly going over the edges. The bottom should be the thinnest part without tearing it.
-Fry your diced chanterelles with some butter on a medium high heat. When they start to get color add garlic and shallots. Continue until pieces get to a golden brown.
-Reduce heat to not burn them and add the chopped spinach and herbs.
-Season with salt and some chili powder (I use a touch of habanero for a faint warmth), and saute covered for one minute. Then mix and go for another minute. Here you want to cook em and compact them.
-Remove them from the pan, add toasted, chopped walnuts.
-Also add a drop of good apple vinegar and mix well, as a touch of acid is needed to cut through and brighten the dish.
-Set aside.
-Once lightly cooled mix in small diced mozarella and a touch of good olive oil.
-Season to taste with salt and pepper.
-When you start the saute, put the pastry in the oven for 10min at 200C.
-Use a spoon to make better molds and push it up the side.
-Add the mix you prepared.
-Use a teaspoon to make a small mold in the middle.
-Add some freshly ground black pepper. I recommend tellicherry.
-Place an egg yolk in the mold. Save the white for another use, like an omlette.
-Season the yolk with salt. I recommend pink Himalayan salt as the sulfur content works brilliantly with eggs.
-Sprinkle it generously with grated parmesan. As much as you can get on there without it falling off works.
Using older parmesan seems to be key here. A young one does not convey nearly enough flavor. A 22 month old has been my favorite here.
-Place back into the oven, backing for 5-6 minutes. This is the part I am working out mostly. 5Min plus 1 min grill will be my next try.
You want the yolk to be runny still in order to coat everything once cut. Getting this perfect is the trickiest part of this recipe. However, balancing that with melting the cheese is tricky.
-Remove from oven, take them out with a tablespoon, sprinkle with a touch of chipotle for color & kick and place a sage leaf on top. Sage loves parmesan.
-Enjoy this pretty little wonder while its warm!
Extra notes:
-I consider 2 per person a good breakfast. Gives you what you need without weighting you down. These are somewhat dense and intense after all. So use that as a rule of thumb to start with.
-Fresh, good produce is as much key to this shining as proper seasoning with salt is. In essence this is a simple thing, so what you put in needs to be good to begin with for it to work. It does not use up a lot of produce either so please, if you can, go for the good stuff!
I´d even say make your own puff pastry, but I did that once and while it was great the work was not worth the payoff for me. I can see it being worth it if you do it more often though and get the practice in.
-Use the egg whites and other leftovers to make a frittata or an omlette. Delicious protein bomb.
-You will probably have leftover veggies which enables you to riff. Spinach frittata with mushrooms is glorious.
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
