Watercress and Pine Nut Egg Cups
Watercress...not just a salad ingredient or a garnish on the side of your plate! Celia Brooks puts the highly nutritious leafy green centre stage in this watercress and pine nut egg cups recipe!
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil for greasing tin
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal / polenta (optional)
- 6 eggs
- 1 tablespoon plain flour or rice flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 100g watercress, chopped
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 150g cottage cheese
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 60g pine nuts
- Greek yoghurt, to serve (optional)
Special equipment:
- 12-hole muffin tin,
- Baking tray which fits the tin (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Generously oil the muffin tin holes. Sprinkle the polenta to coat the bottom of each hole plus a little around the sides. (This is not essential but goes a long way in preventing the egg cups from sticking to the tin and also adds a nice texture.)
Place the tin on a baking tray if using (this helps distribute the heat evenly).
In a pouring jug, beat together the eggs, flour and baking powder with a fork until well combined. Next beat in the watercress, spring onions and cottage cheese. Season well with salt and pepper.
Start by using a large spoon to distribute the mixture equally amongst the 12 muffin holes, finishing by pouring in the remaining mixture. The holes should be about 2/3 to ¾ full. Sprinkle the pine nuts on top and gently press them so they are not submerged but are in contact with the mixture.
Bake in the middle shelf of the oven for 15 – 20 minutes until puffed and golden. The pine nuts should be golden brown – cover with foil if they seem to be darkening too much early on.
Test for doneness as you would a cake – stick a sharp knife in the centre of one of them and it should come out clean. They will set further as they cool.
Cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and gently release from the tin. Serve hot or at room temperature. A dollop of Greek yoghurt is a nice accompaniment.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil for greasing tin
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal / polenta (optional)
- 6 eggs
- 1 tablespoon plain flour or rice flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 100g watercress, chopped
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 150g cottage cheese
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 60g pine nuts
- Greek yoghurt, to serve (optional)
Special equipment:
- 12-hole muffin tin,
- Baking tray which fits the tin (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Generously oil the muffin tin holes. Sprinkle the polenta to coat the bottom of each hole plus a little around the sides. (This is not essential but goes a long way in preventing the egg cups from sticking to the tin and also adds a nice texture.)
Place the tin on a baking tray if using (this helps distribute the heat evenly).
In a pouring jug, beat together the eggs, flour and baking powder with a fork until well combined. Next beat in the watercress, spring onions and cottage cheese. Season well with salt and pepper.
Start by using a large spoon to distribute the mixture equally amongst the 12 muffin holes, finishing by pouring in the remaining mixture. The holes should be about 2/3 to ¾ full. Sprinkle the pine nuts on top and gently press them so they are not submerged but are in contact with the mixture.
Bake in the middle shelf of the oven for 15 – 20 minutes until puffed and golden. The pine nuts should be golden brown – cover with foil if they seem to be darkening too much early on.
Test for doneness as you would a cake – stick a sharp knife in the centre of one of them and it should come out clean. They will set further as they cool.
Cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and gently release from the tin. Serve hot or at room temperature. A dollop of Greek yoghurt is a nice accompaniment.
