Filo Egg Cups with Tomato Salsa

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
2. For the shortcrust cups: Roll out the pastry thinly and cut out 10cm squares. Gently press pasty squares into a deep muffin tin with the corners overhanging the rim slightly. Line with baking parchment and some baking beans, then place in the oven to blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans, then return to the oven for another 10 minutes for the pastry to brown a little
3. For the filo cups: Cut the filo pastry into 10cm squares. Brush each with some melted butter and layer 3 sheets on top of each other with the points facing in opposite directions to form a star. Gently press the filo stars into a deep muffin tin, and bake in the oven for 10 minutes to brown a little
4. Add your chosen filling to the base of the cooked cups, then crack in an egg into each one. Bake for 4 – 6 minutes, until the egg white is cooked but the yolk is still runny
5. For the salsa, mix together the tomatoes, shallot, chilli and coriander and season with salt. Serve on the side of the cooked basket

Optional fillings:

1. Wilted spinach: Add a little of the butter to a frying pan and sweat down the spinach. Season with salt and pepper, then drain well on kitchen paper. Leave to cool, before spooning into the part-baked cups, make a well in the spinach before cracking in the egg
2. Parma ham: Line the part-baked cups with a slice or two of Parma ham, so that it overhangs the pastry slightly, then crack in the egg
3. Roasted peppers: Shred the drained peppers to create long strips, then use these to make a nest in the bottom of the part-baked cups for the eggs to sit