Eggs Florentine in pie dough tartlet shells

Mix butter, salt and flour until sandy, add cold water and pulse a few times.

Chill the dough 2 hours, roll into a thin sheet, cut nine discs and shape into tartlets.

Rest in the refrigerator about an hour, trim excess dough and freeze until ready to bake.

Blind bake 25 minutes, remove the pie weights and continue baking until golden brown.

Variation: fill the shells with cold Mornay sauce, wilted spinach, poached eggs, more Mornay sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano or Gruyere; before serving heat in the oven 5 minutes, then under the broiler 3 minutes.

Variation: to use the crust as an egg cup, cut a hole in the raw frozen shell large enough to hold the egg upright.

Bring a large amount of water with a splash of white vinegar to a boil; do not salt it. Swirl the water in one direction and drop in an egg.

Simmer at medium-low 5 minutes, then transfer the poached egg to an ice bath.

For eggs cooked in the shell, salt the water, immerse room-temperature eggs in simmering water and cook 5 minutes.

Transfer to ice water; after about 5 minutes crack the shell at top and bottom, return to the water, peel when barely cold and keep in cold water.

Melt butter, add the flour and cook a couple of minutes to make a roux.

Add hot milk, bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly.

Add creme fraiche, boil briefly, add the cheese; when melted, remove from the heat, add the egg yolks and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Wash the spinach thoroughly and dry in a salad spinner.

Heat a large pot with crushed garlic, butter and a drizzle of olive oil, add the spinach and stir quickly until wilted, about 60 seconds.

Heat spinach with some Mornay sauce in a frying pan, plate it, set the rewarmed egg in the centre and glaze with sauce.

Crown with the pastry crust, top with cheese shavings and broil a few minutes.

Variation: use the crust as an egg cup and add a spinach coulis.