Individual Idaho® Potato Crusted Eggs Florentine with Prosciutto
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds Idaho® potatoes, peeled and finely grated (about 4 1/2 cups)
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped, fresh thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 14 eggs, divided
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 8 cups packed spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese
- 6 thin slices prosciutto, cut in half horizontally
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and use a pastry brush to grease a 12-cup muffin pan with olive oil. Set aside.
- Use a food processor fitted with the grater attachment -- or a hand-held grater -- to grate the potatoes. (The former is easier if you have it!) Then use your hands to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the potatoes. Potatoes have a very high water content, so you'll be surprised at the quantity of liquid you can actually "wring out" of the potatoes!
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the grated potato with the cheese, olive oil, thyme, salt and 2 of the eggs.
- Add the potato mixture to a large sauté pan and cook it over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often. This is just to make the potatoes slightly tender. (Don't wash this pan - you'll need it again!)
- Add about 1/3 cup of the potato mixture to each greased muffin cup, using your fingers to mold it along the bottom and edges as you go.
- Place in the pan in the preheated 425° F oven until the edges are beginning to brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 375° F, and continue to bake until they become more golden brown, about 10 more minutes. (Keep the oven on at 375° F after you remove them.)
- During the time the crusts are baking, coat the same large sauté pan you used for the potatoes, with olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onions are soft, about 4 minutes. Then add the spinach, in two batches, cooking it just until it's wilted. Mix in the Gruyère and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- When the potato crusts are done, gently place a piece of prosciutto into each one.
- Add about one tablespoon of the spinach mixture on top of each prosciutto slice.
- Carefully crack one of the remaining 12 eggs on top of each one.
- Bake in the preheated 375° F oven just until the eggs are cooked, about 15 minutes, depending on how you like them!
- Wait about 10 minutes before removing them from the pan. Then use a sharp knife to gently go along the edges of each one. Then they should pop out easily.