Hearty tart with eggs, mushrooms and bacon

Delicious breakfast ingredients gathered on top of a tasty homemade pastry creating a luscious tart to enjoy along with a salad any day in the week! Feel free to use a store-bought shortcrust pastry if you don't have the time to make your own. You could also make the recipe using individual tart tins

Slightly adapted from a recipe of Nicki Mytarea,

from "Cook Book" magazine of "ETHNOS" newspaper

Ingredients (for 4 people)

For the pastry:
340gr. of all-purpose flour
170gr. of butter, chilled and cut in cubes
2 tbsp of cold water
1 egg yolk
pinch of salt

For the filling:
2 tsp of olive oil
170gr. of streaky bacon, finely chopped
6 eggs
4-5 tbsp of single cream
½ tea-cup of Feta cheese, coarsely grated
½ tea-cup of thinly sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, cut in cubes
1 pinch of hot red pepper
1 pinch of thyme
salt
pepper

Method:
In the bowl of a standing mixer beat the flour with the salt and the butter for 30 seconds. While the machine is on, gradually add in the mixture the cold water. If the dough is crumbly, add 1 egg yolk and continue until the dough is homogeneous. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap with cling film and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Brush with some butter the bottom and the sides of a spacious round tart dish.

Warm the oil in a non-stick frying pan and sauté the bacon in medium heat until it is crunchy. Transfer with a slotted spoon on kitchen paper to drain.

Throw in the pan the mushrooms and the chopped pepper and sauté until they wilt stirring with a wooden spoon. Lightly season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the thyme and the hot pepper. Take off the heat.

Transfer the dough into the tin and carefully stretch with your hands so to cover the bottom and the sides. Break the eggs on the pastry and scatter among them the bacon and the mushroom/pepper filling. Sprinkle with the grated Feta cheese and pour over the single cream.

Turn the heat to 180°C and put the tin in the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for about 20-25 minutes and serve while the tart is still hot.