Easter parade: portraits of a long weekend, part two
Monday, April 9, 2007 at 1:16PM 
Buttery, sweet and absolutely the definition of indulgence; cinnamon spirals from the bakery at Springridge Farm.
Potato and egg tarts
My own recipe. Based upon baked eggs, crossed with a hash brown craving. Think of these as Pommes Anna for breakfast. See notes below for tips on the potato crust.
Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 large Yukon Gold potato
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 medium shallot, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons cream (heavy or half and half)
Preheat oven to 450ºF (230ºC).
Melt butter in a small sauté pan. Set aside.
Using the slicer attachment to a food processor or a mandoline, slice the potatoes thinly. Transfer sliced potatoes to a large bowl of cold water. After letting them soak briefly, drain in a colander and then pat dry with kitchen towels.
On a baking sheet, brush the bottom and sides of two 4" non-stick round spring form pans, or ring moulds, with butter. Arrange the potato slices in a concentric circle to line the pans, beginning from the outside in to the centre (see note). Brush lightly with butter and season with salt and pepper.
Cover with a round of buttered aluminium foil and bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the edges are lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine together the herbs and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
In the same sauté pan used for the melted butter, sweat the shallot and garlic over medium heat until translucent, about 10-12 minutes.
Divide the shallot mixture between the two pans. Carefully crack two eggs into each mould (you may want to use a separate small bowl to crack the eggs into first, then transfer them to ensure you do not break the yolks). Sprinkle over the herb and cheese mixture, spoon one teaspoon of cream over each and season well with salt and pepper.
Return to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the whites are cooked and just set. The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven, so take this into account when looking for doneness.
Allow the eggs to sit for approximately 1 minute. For the springform, use the tip of a butter knife to loosen the tart from the sides of the pan. Release the spring and use a wide, offset spatula to remove from bottom. If using a ring mould lift entire tart (with ring) to serving plate with spatula, then remove the ring.
Serves 2, best eaten immediately.
Notes:
• When cutting the potatoes, you will need them to be just slightly thicker than paper thin. The slices should be pliable, but still retrain their shape.
• Assemble the potato layer starting from the outside in; bend the slices to come up the side of the mould and form your concentric circle working towards the middle. Overlap each slice, and each circle, so that you have completely sealed crust. A bit of egg may still seep though; if the spaces are small this will bind the tart together rather than create a mess.
• Thin strips of ham or cooked turkey can be added to the shallot mixture. Alternatively, the cooked tart can be served with smoked trout or smoked salmon alongside.
Reader Comments (7)
The flowers are gorgeous, but I love the tart! Thinly layered crispy potato base, topped with eggs - mmmmm:-)
Tara, they sound fabulous right down to the last detail--and holy shmokes they came out rather perfectly didn't they? I will definitely have to give these a try--they would even make a great light dinner with a salad alongside..
Wow, that egg tart looks wonderful. What a great idea.
Wow! Your tart look marvelous.
I think I am going to make it for dinner tonight.
Thanks
pille, without sounding too self-lauding, I was very happy with this tart. The combination of potato, onion and herbs made for a perfect mouthtful. Sean even requested these again the next day - the sure sign of success.
Michèle, these would really be a great light luncheon as well. I particularly enjoyed mine with roasted tomatoes along with.
nosheteria, I love a good brunch dish - and these did fit the bill. Sean's included back bacon and a bit of gruyère.
dawn, I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.
I just started cooking again and I tried out this recipe (mostly because those tarts LOOK fantastic) and it was insanely delicious. Thank you!
i was looking through your April posts to see what you had posted for Spring- i was so happy to find eggs; eggs and potatoes, the ultimate comfort foods. and yellow and vibrant, as Spring should be. patting the potatoes dry must be a bit of a labour of love. a gorgeous dish- i would eat it for dinner. best wishes, shayma