Easy egg nests for breakfast

Think of these egg nests as Croque Madames without the béchamel. Crispy bacon, lashings of cheese, and an egg all safely encased in a shell of crispy pastry. They’re pretty quick on the prep and while they’re baking you can brew a decent sized pot of coffee.

Ingredients:

Prep time: 25 min | Bake time: 20 min | Serves: 6

1 sheet ready-rolled butter puff pastry, just thawed
9 rashers streaky bacon
6 Tbsp cheddar cheese, grated
6 Tbsp milk
6 Tbsp rocket, chopped
6–9 eggs
1 egg yolk, whisked
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh basil, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a large muffin pan (makes enough for 6 egg nests).
2. Cut the pastry sheets into 6 squares.
3. Gently ease a square of pastry into each muffin hole.
4. Cook bacon in a small frying pan over medium–high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly golden. Even if your general preference is crispy bacon, don’t cook it that way for the egg nests because the bacon needs to be soft enough to line the rounded pastry cups. Crispy bacon will crack.
5. Drain the bacon on paper towel and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Place the bacon into the base of each pastry shell.
6. Sprinkle in the cheese and rocket.
7. Pour in milk, 1 tablespoon per pastry cup, and season with salt and pepper. Crack one or two eggs into each case, depending on how much room is left in them and brush each pastry rim with some egg yolk.

8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the filling is cooked.

9. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before removing from the muffin pan. The pastry will pull away from the sides just enough for you to pry them out easily with a fork.

Grind a good amount of salt and pepper on and enjoy this easy on-the-go breakfast.