Spinach Flan Recipes

SPINACH AND ONION TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 10-inch tart pan and line it with the pastry. Keep it in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
• Steam the spinach above an inch of boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted. You will probably have to do this in batches. I like to use a pasta pot with an insert for steaming spinach, as I can get a lot of it into the insert. Rinse briefly with cold water, squeeze out excess water and chop medium-fine.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until it is tender and beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Add the spinach, thyme and salt and pepper to taste, and stir together. Remove from the heat.
• Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add salt to taste (I use about 1/2 teaspoon) and whisk in the milk. Stir in the onion and spinach mixture and the cheeses. Scrape into the pastry-lined tart pan. Place in the oven and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until tart is set and beginning to color on the top. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or room temperature.

MUSHROOM & BABY SPINACH TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a deep 22cm flan tin. Let the edges overhang, don't trim them yet. Chill in the fridge or freezer for at least 15 mins.
• Line the tart case with baking parchment and fill it with baking beans. Place on a baking tray, then bake for 15-20 mins. Remove the beans and parchment, then return to the oven for another 5 mins to cook the base. Remove, then reduce oven temperature to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then cook the mushrooms for 1 min. Add the spinach, then cook for 3 mins more or until wilted down. Combine the eggs with the milk and cream in a jug and season well. Build up the tart by sprinkling the cheese onto the base, then scatter over the vegetables and pour over the cream and egg mix. Sprinkle the thyme over the top, then bake for 40-45 mins or until set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Trim the pastry edges and serve in slices with the salads, below.

SPINACH AND FETA TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/ gas 6.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and gently fry the onion for 5 minutes until tender. Add the spinach and cook gently until wilted. Squeeze out any liquid and set aside.
• Roll out the shortcrust pastry on a floured surface and use to line a 20cm round tin, leaving 2-3cm hanging over the edge.
• Mix the spinach and onions with 2 beaten eggs, feta and 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill. Season well and spoon into the tart case.
• Fold the excess pastry in towards the centre, brush with beaten egg and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden and set.

CREAMED SPINACH TARTLETS

Steps:

• For the filling: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl one-third full with ice. Add cold water to cover the ice. Set a colander into the bowl.
• In batches, cook the spinach in the boiling water just until bright green, about 1 minute. With tongs, immediately plunge the spinach into the colander to stop cooking and set the color. When all of the spinach is cooked and cooled, lift the colander from the water and squeeze out the excess water from the spinach. Chop the spinach and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a deep skillet or broad saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook an additional minute, until toasted and fragrant. Add the cream, the blanched spinach and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the cream has cooked down and thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, feta, white pepper, nutmeg and more salt to taste. Stir to blend, then remove from the heat.
• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Unroll the phyllo and cover it with a damp kitchen towel; keep the pastry covered while working to keep in the moisture. Cut the phyllo in half crosswise.
• Using a pastry brush, coat six 4 1/2-inch tart pans with melted butter. Gently lay a "square" of phyllo in one of the pans, letting it fall loosely into place. Brush with butter, covering the pastry sheet completely. Repeat with five additional sheets. Using kitchen shears, trim the excess dough, leaving a good 1 inch of overhang. Shape the phyllo around the perimeter of the tart pan to create an attractive, rustic edge. Repeat for the remaining five pastry tarts. Fill each tart with the creamed spinach mixture.
• Place the filled tart pans on a baking sheet. Bake on the center oven rack until the crust is golden brown, 30 minutes.

SPANISH FLAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place six 1-cup ramekins in a 9"x13" casserole dish and fill with hot tap water until the ramekins are halfway submerged. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook 1 cup (200g) sugar until sugar is completely dissolved, liquefied and golden brown in color. Stir constantly and make sure that you don't overcook it. The sugar burns very quickly. Immediately spoon evenly into prepared ramekins. If the sugar becomes hard when you spoon it into the ramekins, return it to the heat for a few seconds to re-liquefy it. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs and remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add milk and vanilla* and mix to combine. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove almost all air bubbles. Divide evenly among the ramekins. Cover each ramekin separately with aluminum foil and seal tightly. Bake for about 60-70 minutes. The flan will wobble like a pudding or jelly when it's done. Don't overbake. Then remove from the water bath and allow to cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge for 4 hours.
• Once cool and set, run a sharp, thin-bladed knife around the inside of the ramekins to break the seal between the flan and the ramekins. Then place a plate on top and turn the plate over. Shake the ramekins gently so that the flan falls out of the mold and onto the plate. The sugar syrup runs over the custard, so it is best to use a dessert plate with rimmed edges. Do not scrape the hardened sugar out of the ramekins. For easier cleaning, fill the molds with hot tap water and let stand until the hard sugar crust has dissolved. Store leftovers in the ramekins in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

SPINACH FLAN

Steps:

• Base: Take the flour and salt in a bowl.
• Rub in all the butter till the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
• Sprinkle around 2 tblps of cold water to form a firm dough.
• Knead until smooth and roll out on a floured board and use to line an 8 inch tin or pie dish.
• Bake open in a preheated oven for 15 mins at 190C or till light brown.
• (the recipe calls for it to be lined with greaseproof paper and filled with baking beans. Not sure what these are so did not do this. It calls for 15 mins of baking. Then the beans have to be removed and the base has to bake for 5 mins more to dry out) Wash the spinach and cook with just the water that stays on the leaves after washing then for about 8 mins.
• Drain and chop coarsely.
• Reserve few 4-5 rings of the pepper for garnish and chop the remaining afer deseeding and cook for around 5 mins in some boiling water.
• Beat the eggs and milk (you can use semi-skimmed milk), then add the chopped onions, spinach, pepper, nutmeg and seasonings.
• Spoon the filling into the flan and cook in the oven (Preheated to 190C again) for 40 mins, or until set.
• Garnish with the pepper slices.
• Can be had hot or cold.
• But not in the pot nine days old!

LEEK, SPINACH, AND MUSHROOM TART

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add leeks, mushrooms, and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook and stir for 1 minute. Add spinach and cook until wilted and tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed. Let cool, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk ricotta cheese, eggs, and basil together in a large bowl. Fold into the cooled vegetable mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll pastry dough out into a 12-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Transfer dough to the prepared baking sheet. Spoon filling into the center of the square, leaving a 2-inch border of pastry. Lift pastry edges and fold over the filling, creasing dough as needed and leaving filling exposed in the middle.
• Bake tart in the preheated oven until pastry is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

SPINACH FLAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a blender, add spinach, parsley, milk, goat cheese, eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and blend until smooth. Pour evenly between 3-ounce ramekins (small soufflé dishes) that have been sprayed lightly with EVOO (or non-stick cooking spray). Place ramekins in a large casserole dish. Slowly add boiling water in one corner, being careful not to spill water into ramekins, until half-way up the sides of the ramekins.
• Carefully place into oven and cook until the sides are firm and a little wobble remains in the middle of each ramekin.
• Remove from oven; remove each ramekin from water bath and let cool on cooling rack. When cool, run a sharp knife down the sides of each ramekin and invert onto a warm plate. Serve with the mixed herb salad, a drizzle of EVOO, and a few strips of parmesan.
• Herb Salad Garnish.
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley.
• 1/4 cup fresh tarragon.
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl. Toss. Enjoy!