Bacon & Egg Pastries

I love Panera. I love their bagels, I love their pastries and I especially love their baked egg soufflés. Mmmm... Yummy and light; eggs, cheese, meat.

I searched for recipes that were do-able for me but never found one that I loved- until my most recent Cuisine magazine came. Their recipe uses frozen puff pastry (one of my favorite convenience foods. I have no problem using it and still calling my food "homemade".)

This recipe uses swiss cheese, bacon, spinach, potatoes and roasted red peppers but you can use any meat/cheese/ veggie combo you want. It's a forgiving recipe.

I was also hesitant because these look difficult. They really aren't. I need to keep reminding myself that pretty food isn't always hard to make.

As for the baking cup a mini quiche pan is ideal but I don't have any of those. I used custard cups. You can also use ramekins.

This is a great recipe for breakfast, a cozy brunch or even for dinner. I serve it with a fresh fruit salad but a regular salad with a vinagrette dressing would be really good with it, too.

Bacon & Egg Pastries

Ingredients
2 strips thick cut bacon, diced
2/3 c white or red skinned potatoes, cubed
1/3 c onion, diced
1/3 c roasted red peppers, diced
1/2 t minced fresh rosemary
1 1/2 c fresh spinach
salt & pepper to taste
2 oz cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1/4 c milk
1/4 c Gruyere or Swiss cheese, shredded
1 T allpurpose flour
1/2 t kosher salt
1/8 t cayenne
1 sheet puff pastry, slightly thawed (if it's too thawed it will be too sticky)
1 egg beaten with 1 T water

Preheat oven to 400. Coat four 4" quiche pans (or ramekins or custard cups) with non-stick spray and arrange on baking sheet.

Fry bacon in large saute pan over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towel lined plate. Remove all but 1 T of drippings and return pan to burner. Add potaotes, onion, peppers and rosemary. Cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in spinach, bacon, salt & pepper. Set aside.

Beat Cream cheese in a bowl with a hand mixer then blend in eggs. Add milk, cheese, flour, salt & cayenne. Beat to blend.

Roll pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 12" square. Cut into four 6" squares. Lightly press each square into prepared pan. Spoon about 1/3 cup potto mixture into each pan then add about 1/3 c of egg mixture on top.

Fold corners of dough onto filling (just meet the tips in the center; they don't have to touch or be even), brush with egg wash and bake until crust is brown and filling is set, 20-25 minutes. Let set 5 minutes beofre removing from pan.