Los Florentine eggs are a classic French dish in which spinach is the star. Whenever you see a recipe "a la Florentine" will include spinach, the perfect bed on which the eggs, fish, or chicken are placed before adding their generous layer of Mornay sauce, a delicious béchamel enriched with cheese.
This dish has its history, but it seems to be more legend than fact. Although the term is from French cuisine, it is said to pay tribute to Catherine de' Medici, a noblewoman from Florence who married Henry II of France in the 16th century, bringing her own chefs with her. According to the story, she was the one who popularized spinach at the French court.
Whatever its origin, this combination is a real success. The Florentine eggs, topped with a Beaufort cheese Mornay sauce and lightly gratinated, are a delicious dish and perfect for serving individually in a piece as charming as the mini 3-Ply stainless steel skillet Castel'Pro by Cristel. Served with a green salad, which will act as a refreshing side, we won't need anything else. Here is the recipe. You'll see how good they are!
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 400 g spinach shoots
- 10 g butter
- Beaufort béchamel
Mornay sauce ingredients (Beaufort béchamel)
- 500 ml milk
- 40 g flour
- 40 g butter
- 80 g grated Beaufort cheese (you can substitute Gruyère or Emmental)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Heat the oven to 220-230 °C with top heat or grill function. Place the rack in the upper part of the oven, leaving enough space.
- Heat water in a stainless steel saucepan and, when it's about to boil, carefully add the 4 eggs.
- Boil the eggs for 5 minutes and then immediately transfer them to a bowl of very cold water or water and ice to stop the cooking. Set the eggs aside unpeeled.
- Put the 10 g of butter in a skillet over medium heat and melt it. When hot, add the spinach and sauté over medium-high heat until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside. If they have released any water, drain it.
- To make the béchamel, put the 40 g of butter in your Castel'Pro multilayer stainless steel saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Add the flour and mix with a whisk to combine. Without stopping stirring, cook the roux for about 3-5 minutes so the flour lightly toasts and loses its raw taste.
- Add the milk little by little, stirring constantly, until you get a creamy and slightly thick sauce.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the grated Beaufort cheese. Mix well until completely melted. Season to taste. Set aside.
- Divide the spinach among 4 Castel'Pro Cristel 3-Ply stainless steel mini skillets.
- Peel the eggs and place one egg in the center of each skillet, on top of the spinach.
- Cover the eggs with the hot Beaufort béchamel and sprinkle a little grated cheese on top.
- Place the 4 mini skillets in the upper part of the oven, on the rack, and gratin for about 3-4 minutes or until you see the surface is lightly browned. Watch them so they don't brown too much.
- Serve immediately, with the creamy béchamel.
Tips
- The Cristel Castel'Pro mini skillets are perfect for serving this dish individually. You could also use the Cristel 3-Ply mini stainless steel trays, which are equally ideal.
