Spinach and mushroom baked egg boats – delicious for parties, picnics or brunch! Recipe sponsored by Grana Padano and Prosciutto di San Daniele.
If you are looking for a versatile recipe that is great as an on-the-go breakfast, perfectly portable for your picnic and sophisticated enough for a party, then look no further than these spinach and mushroom baked egg boats with Grana Padano and Prosciutto di San Daniele. These babies are so easy to make, so popular with just about everyone, that they will soon become a firm favourite.
A lot of the credit for the intensely addictive yumminess of these baked egg boats has to go to the Grana Padano cheese in the filling – and if you are not familiar with it, here’s a very short bio. Grana Padano is made in Italy’s Po River Valley and has a long storied history going back centuries. Created by the Cistercian monks of Chiaravalle in the 12th century as a way to use up leftover milk, it still follows their traditional recipe. The great taste of Grana Padano is created through a slow, natural ageing process ranging over 24 months. The younger cheese, which is aged between 9-16 months, is perfect for cooking, while the more mature Grana Padano is best enjoyed on a cheese plate or grated over food.
While the egg boats are perfectly lovely on their own they go next level awesome topped with a slice of Prosciutto di San Daniele. Another authentically Italian product, Prosciutto di San Daniele is produced only in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, in the hilly area around the town of San Daniele in the north-eastern part of Italy. Made solely with pigs born and bred in Italy and with only sea salt as a preservative, it is entirely free of preservatives or additives.
Both Grana Padano and Prosciutto di San Daniele have been awarded PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status, ensuring the processing traditions and quality of these unique products is maintained – so make sure to look out for the PDO mark when shopping.
I used part-baked mini baguettes as the vessel for my baked eggs, but you could use any type of bread as long as it has a sturdy crust. Make your filling by frying a leek, mushrooms and spinach. While they are cooling, create the ‘boats’ by hollowing out the baguettes, keeping their crust intact. Whisk your eggs, cream and grated Grana Padano, then fold in the cooked vegetables. Fill your egg boats and bake for about 20 minutes. Brush with a little melted butter, sprinkle with some extra cheese, cover and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the eggs are set. Leave to cool – if you are too eager you will burn your mouth as I did! Serve the egg boats with a slice of prosciutto draped over the top and prepared to want seconds.
Spinach and mushroom baked egg boats with Grana Padano and Prosciutto di San Daniele
Ingredients
- 6 part-baked mini baguettes
- 3 large eggs
- 75 ml | 2 1/2 fl oz double cream
- 60 g | 2oz grated Grana Padano plus an extra tbsp to sprinkle
- 1 medium leek finely diced
- 100 g | 3 1/2oz button mushrooms quartered
- 100 g | 3 1/2oz fresh baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish
- salt and freshly ground pepper to season
- 1 tbsp rapeseed canola oil for frying
- 2 tbsp butter melted to brush the bread
- 6 slices Prosciutto di San Daniele to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- Add the oil to a non-stick frying pan and pan fry the leek until soft – about 5 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and fry until it wilts. Leave to cool while you prepare the bread.
- Cut a slit into your baguettes and hollow them out using a teaspoon. Keep the crust intact.
- Put the eggs and cream in a bowl and whisk together using a balloon whisk.
- Add the grated cheese and fold in the cooked vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
- Fill your egg boats 3/4 of the way (the filling with puff in the oven) and place on the baking tray, spaced slightly apart.
- Cook for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and brush the bread with the melted butter.
- Sprinkle with a little extra grated cheese and cover with foil.
- Cook for a further 10 minutes or until the filling is puffed and firm. Leave to cool.
- Arrange a slice of prosciutto on each egg boat and sprinkle with parsley to serve.
Sandra says
These mini bagsette boats are lovely for brunch! Grana Padano and Prosciutto di San Daniele are the quality products I like to use. Thank you for introducing me to this brand. I’ll be sure to look for PDO status for now on.
Katherine says
I can see this working really well with a ciabatta. Looks fantastic.
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says
This is such a neat idea and sounds delicious. I need to look for that cheese it sounds so good.
amy says
The combination of flavors you have put together is making my mouth water! This looks so delicious!