Egg Flan Florentine - 1970s recipe - light lunch or teatime recipe

 This recipe is from 1970s Women's Weekly Magazine
(Popular Cook Book - 30p) !

Oven: 200 deg. C (400 F)

Ingredients: serves 4 - 6

Flancase:
6ozs. plain flour + pinch of salt - sifted together
(I like using self-raising flour, so the pastry case is softer)*
1.1/2 ozs. lard ...........  (use white vegetable fat such as Trex)
1.1/2 ozs. margarine .............  (butter)
Cold water
Filling:
8ozs. frozen spinach (or fresh spinach of course)
2 ozs. butter
4 hard boiled eggs
1 oz. plain flour
1/2pt. milk
2 ozs. grated cheese

1. Rub the fats into the flour to make breadcrumbs - stir in enough cold water to make a soft dough.
2. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a flan tin.
3. Place dough in your greased flan tin. Prick the base, cover the base with scrunched up foil and bake for approx. 25 mins until pastry is cooked.  (You can remove the foil for a few minutes, just to 'golden' it up.)

3. Cook the spinach (squeeze out excess water) and stir in 1 oz. of butter and spread on the base of the flan case. (I would sprinkle a little cornmeal or semolina on the pastry base before putting in the spinach).
4. Cut the shelled hard boiled eggs in half and lay cut side down on the spinach.

5. Melt the remaining butter, add the flour and slowly adding the milk - making your smooth sauce.
Pour over the eggs so they are covered.
6. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top and chill until required.

You can chill this and/or reheat under the grill - - or in the oven, (190 deg.C / 375 F for 20 mins)

* updated tips