Crispy, egg-y popovers, with their hollow centers, are a perfect receptacle for fillings. Whenever I make popovers I make sure to put a couple of them aside for the next day’s brunch or simple supper.
My favorite combination is scrambled eggs with cheese and a green vegetable such as spinach, broccoli or asparagus. Once the popovers are made, it takes less than 10 minutes to cook up the filling. A quick turn under the broiler melts the cheese on top and also helps to meld the filling into the popover, so the final result is flaky on the outside and creamy on the inside.
Making this ahead:
- The popovers can be made ahead – see the recipe directions for details on using made-ahead vs. freshly baked popovers. The spinach can also cooked ahead.
- Don’t make the egg mixture or fill the popovers in advance; they should be filled and broiled just before serving.
Popovers Stuffed with Spinach, Egg and Cheese
February 17, 2020
: 2, easily multiplied
Ingredients
- 2 popovers
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 3 ounces baby spinach
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 large eggs
- 2 ounces shredded cheese such as Cheddar, Swiss, Gruyere or Fontina
Directions
- Step 1 Make the Popovers. If you’ve made them ahead, place the cold popovers on a sheet pan lined with foil, and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the popovers until hot and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the filling. (If you’re making the popovers fresh for this recipe, start making the filling when the popovers have 15 minutes left to bake, and keep a foil-lined sheet pan standing by.)
- Step 2 Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the spinach, a generous pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds (or pinches) of pepper. Cook the spinach, turning and rearranging it with tongs, until it’s just wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a bowl and let it cool until it’s cool enough to handle. Use paper towels or a kitchen towel to squeeze the spinach in handfuls to remove most of the excess liquid. Set the spinach aside.
- Step 3 Wipe out the skillet. Turn the heat down to medium low and melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a medium bowl to blend. Season the eggs with kosher salt and pepper to taste and add them to the skillet along with about ¾ of the cheese. Stir with a rubber spatula until the eggs just begin to set. Pull the spinach apart into clumps and add it to the eggs, stirring with the spatula to incorporate the spinach into the eggs. Pull the skillet off the heat when the eggs are almost set, but still very moist, not dry.
- Step 4 Turn the oven to the Broil setting on High and move a rack to the top position. On the foil lined baking sheet, carefully split the popovers open, peeling them apart to reveal their center cavity. Working quickly, spoon the egg mixture into the popovers. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheese.
- Step 5 Broil the stuffed popovers for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
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