Ingredients:

  • 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed small
  • 0.25 tsp sea salt
  • 4 tbsp ice-cold water
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
  • 3 large eggs
  • 0.5 cup whole milk
  • 0.5 cup aged Gruyère, shredded
  • 1 tbsp shallots, minced
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions:

  1. Pulse flour, salt, and cold butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water until the dough just holds. Chill for 30 minutes.
  2. Roll out dough thin (1/8 inch) and use a 3-inch heart cutter to create 12 shapes. Gently press them into heart-shaped mini muffin tins.
  3. Sauté minced shallots and spinach in a dry pan for 2 minutes until wilted. Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve and squeeze out all excess moisture.
  4. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, whole milk, nutmeg, and cayenne until smooth. Stir in the shredded Gruyère.
  5. Divide the spinach mixture evenly among the pastry shells. Pour the egg custard over the spinach until shells are nearly full.
  6. Bake at 190°C for 20 minutes until the crust is golden and the centers are puffed.