Spinach Flan

I've worked on this recipe for a while, a few miserable try and deception.. 

Couldn't unmold it, then there was too much flour, not enough flavour etc... 

I've finally found a good balance between ingredients :)

I tried with ham, less cheese more milk... Finally the dry-ripened tomatoes are perfect !

For 4 people

   You will need :   

for the spinach batter

1lb of fresh spinach

- around 1.1lb if possible -

7oz ricotta (200gr)

3 eggs

1oz flour (30gr)

- 2 small tbsp -

1/3 cup + 1tbsp of milk (3.4 fl oz.)

1tbsp olive oil

"herbes de provence"

- mix of thym, rosemary, oregano, basil, lavander, sage... -

1/2tsp of salt

pepper

If you have some agar agar, you can add some so it will be even more flan-texture

for the heart

#tbsp of dry-ripened tomatoes(1.4 oz/40gr)

1tbsp of flour

2,1 oz ricotta (60gr)

Prepare the spinach

Rinse them well and remove the biggest stams.

Put your spinach in a big sauce pan  full of salted water and bring to a boil. After 2 minutes at a gnetle boil, drain them well in a strainer. Use a spatula to press and remove as much water as you can.

Put them on your cutboard and coaersely chop. Reserve.

Turn the oven on at 360°F

Prepare the flan

Beat egss and salt, pepper ans ricotta for 2 minutes with an electric beater.

When the batter is homogeneous, stir in by hand the flour and the milk

Pour it little by little, starting with the flour, ending with the flour.

Finally, add the oil and the herbs. Mix well and stir in the spinach. Reserve.

Prepare the heart

Chop finely your dry tomatoes, remove the excess of oil with an absorbent paper and mix them with the flour. Stir in the ricotta. Reserve.

Cooking

Cover your mold with parchment paper and use some cooking spray on it.

If you have a silicone mold, oil it with an absorbent paper.

Pour 3/4 of the spinach-batter in the mold, and in the center, 

pour the tomato-mix as a long strip in the center of the cake. 

Use 2 teaspoons to help you shape that stripe.

Pour on the top the end of the spinach-batter.

Cook 40 to 45 minutes

Turn the oven off, slightly open the door and let it cook 20 more minutes in the oven.

You can enjoy it as a main course : still warm with rice, salad or a tomato sauce. 

But it's also good when cold, as an appetizer.

Well, and next, what should I do...

Mushroom quiche

For 4 to 6 people (8 inch wide)

If you have a mold of 9 inch or +, put 7,4 fl oz of milk and 3,5 oz of ricotta

   Il vous faut :   

The crust

1 shortcrust dough with salted butter

1tsp of provence herbs d'herbes de provence, 

1tsp origano

peppet

To garnish

1/2 lb of fresh mushrooms (250gr) 

1/4 lb of ham (125gr)

- 4 slices -

2 eggs

2,8 oz of fresh ricotta (80gr)

6,1 fl oz of milk (18cL)

salt and pepper

1tsp provence herbs

Turn on the oven at 450°F

The dough

Make the shortcrust dough with salted butter, add the herbs with the flour

Flatten it on 1/4 inch thick

Place it in your pie pan, stab it with a fork and put in the oven for 4 minutes

Then, set aside while preparing the garniture

Ham and mushrooms

Rinse your mushrooms, cut the extremity of the feet and cut it in half, then in slice

Cut the ham in squares of 1/2 inch 

Put ham and muschrooms in a pan on medium heat with 2tsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt, stay before and mix it regularly so it takes colors.

When mushrooms are reduced and lost their water (it takes 12 minutes approximativly)

Remove it from the fire and dry them using absorbent paper and a colander if needed

Garnish

Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt, stir with the ricotta until smooth

Pour the milk, whisk it and add 1tsp of herbs,

on your pre-cooked dough, place the mushrooms ans the ham carefully 

and pour on it the egg/milk mix

- it must not go over the crust -

If you can't pour it all, don't risk to drawn your dough

- mon moule faisait 22 cm de diamètre -

Spread on it some pepper

Put in the oven for 35 minutes, turn it off and let it cool down 15 minutes 

in the oven with the door opened

Serve when still warm with a green salad, you can put fresh basil on the top :)