Want something simpler than an Easter Sunday roast? These savoury egg recipes are perfect for a light and laidback lunch.

Image: Clarence Court Eggs

Save the fuss of serving a full roast dinner this Easter weekend and dine alfresco with these savoury egg recipes! They’re packed full of protein and crammed with colourful veg, additionally some even make use of leftover dinners!

Due to the current circumstances, consequently many of us will be celebrating Easter a little differently once again this year. However, the good news is that we can sample dishes with our loved ones in private gardens and outdoor spaces. These fuss-free recipes are great for outdoor dining, and perfect for the warmer weather.

Read on for some fantastic inspiration for savoury egg recipes.

Egg, ricotta and spinach Easter pie

Image: British Lion Eggs

Based on the classic Italian Torta Pasqualina, this sliceable pie uses crispy filo pastry. The savoury egg recipe is delicious, but feel free to add extra seasonal veggies to the filling such as peas, broad beans or peppers too! We love the colourful contrast of the sunny orange yolk and bright green spinach.

Serves: 8
Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 600g frozen spinach, thawed
• 375g ricotta, drained
• 50g Parmesan, finely grated
• 6 British Lion eggs
• 6 sheets filo pastry
• 50g breadcrumbs
• 2tsp sesame or poppy seeds
• 24 cm loose bottomed cake or tart tin, oiled

Method

1. Firstly, preheat oven to gas mark 5/190C/170C fan. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add onion and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until softened.
2. Next, add the garlic and cook for a further minute, then remove from the heat.
3. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the thawed spinach and roughly chop. Add to the pan and mix in the ricotta, Parmesan, two British Lion eggs and season with lots of pepper.
4. Lightly brush each sheet of filo with the remaining oil. Lay each sheet into the oiled tin, giving each sheet a sixth of a turn, leaving the excess pastry overhanging.
5. Scatter the base with breadcrumbs and spoon in the spinach filling.
6. Make four deep indents in the filling, then crack an egg into each.
7. Roughly fold over the excess pastry and gently dab with any remaining oil. Scatter with sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
8. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until cooked through. Finally, cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate.

Recipe taken from British Lion Eggs

Read more: Easter main courses: 4 family favourite recipes

Quail egg arancini

Image: Clarence Court Eggs

Reduce food waste and make leftover risotto into scrumptious arancini balls for a fabulous starter, light bite or canapé. A simple green salad is all it takes to turn this savoury egg recipe into a complete meal.

Serves: 12
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 400g leftover risotto, cold
• 12 Clarence Court quails eggs
• 50g plain flour
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• 1 egg, beaten well
• 100g dried breadcrumbs
• 1 small bunch of sage leaves
• Vegetable oil for deep fat frying
• 200g homemade or good quality rapeseed mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon baby capers, rinsed, dried and chopped
• A small bunch of dill, parsley and basil, leaves chopped

Method

1. Start by mixing the leftover risotto, if it is very dry, add a little beaten hen’s egg.
2. Boil the quails eggs to soft boil, usually around 1 and a half to 2 minutes. Plunge into cold water and when cooled peel and place to one side.
3. Take 3 plates, mix the flour with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper on one. Have the beaten egg on another plate and the dried breadcrumbs on another plate.
4. Take a small ball of cooled risotto and flatten into a rough disk place an egg in the centre of the disc and pat into a little ball with extra risotto or needed. Roll the ball in the seasoned flour, dip into the beaten egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs. Place on another plate and repeat until you have 12 breadcrumbed arancini. Pop them in the fridge whilst you heat the vegetable oil and make the mayonnaise.
5. Heat 5 inches of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile make the mayo. Spoon the mayonnaise into a small mixing bowl and add the capers. Chop the herb leaves roughly and add them to a pestle and mortar with a little pinch of sea salt, bash the leaves well until you make a paste and stir through the mayo. Season well the pepper.
6. When the oil is hot enough (test with a piece of bread, when it turns golden the oil is ready) carefully fry two arancini at a time turning if needed until the breadcrumbs are golden. Lift with a slotted spoon on to kitchen roll. Pick the sage leaves and add them to the oil, fry for a few seconds and lift out with the slotted spoon onto the paper. Put the arancini into a bowl and scatter over the fried sage leaves. Serve immediately with herby mayo.

Recipe taken from Clarence Court Eggs

Read more: 7 Easter tableware ideas for the long weekend

Asparagus, leek and bacon tart

Image: Clarence Court Eggs

A wonderful vegetarian spring tart to make the most of the British asparagus season. This savoury egg recipe can be served warm or chilled and so is perfect for week day lunches and summer time picnics in the garden or park.

Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 250g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 80g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 30g cold lard, cut into cubes
• 40g finely grated parmesan or mature cheddar
• A few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
• A good pinch of ground black pepper
• 2 Clarence Court Burford Brown yolks
• 4 tablespoons cold water

Filling

• 230g asparagus
• 2 leeks, trimmed
•  tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 rashers streaky smoked bacon
• 200ml double cream
• 200ml creme fraiche
• 2 Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs plus 1 yolk
• 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 50g soft goats cheese (optional)

Method for making the pastry

1. Begin by making the pastry. In a large bowl, sift in the flour with the salt, then add the butter and lard, rubbing in with your finger tips to make rough breadcrumbs’.
2. Stir in the cheese, thyme leaves and pepper. In a small bowl whisk the egg yolks together with 1 or 2 tablespoons of water, add to the bowl of breadcrumbs and mix in with a dinner knife to form larger pieces of smooth dough that will eventually come together as one piece, adding a little more water if dry.
3. Loosely shape into a rectangle, wrap in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 180c/ 350f/ gas mark 4. Very lightly dust a clean work surface and a rolling pin with a little flour. Take a 12 cm x 35cm rectangular loose bottomed tart tin or a 23cm loose bottomed round tart tin. When the pastry has rested, unwrap and place on the floured work surface.
5. Carefully roll out the pastry, moving it in quarter turns after each couple of rolls until it is the thickness of a pound coin and you can line the tart tin with overhang.
6. Roll the pastry loosely up around the rolling pin and drape it over the tart tin. Carefully press the pastry into the tart tin and up the sides. Trim off the overhang and use it to patch up any holes. Prick the base of the tart case with a fork and place the tin back in to the fridge or freezer to chill for a further 20-30 minutes.

Making the filling and assembling

1. Place a pan of water on to boil and half fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Trim the asparagus, add to the pan of boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Quickly drain the asparagus, plunge into a bowl of cold water.
2. Place a large frying pan on a medium heat. Melt the butter and oil in the pan. Trim, slice and wash the leeks and add to the pan. Slowly cook the leeks on a low heat until soft, golden and sweet. Spoon out of the pan and place on a plate to cool. Wipe the pan and place back on the heat. Slice the bacon and add to the pan, fry for a few minutes until crisp and add to the plate with the leeks to cool.
3. When the pastry has had its second round of chilling. Remove from the fridge and place on a baking tray. Line the case with a piece of greaseproof paper and fill the case with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. When time is up carefully remove the baking beans and piece of greaseproof paper. Return the case to the oven and bake for 5 minutes until lightly golden.
5. Remove the tart case from the oven and reduce the temperature down to 160 c/ 320 f/gas mark 3.
6. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the double cream, creme fraiche, eggs and mustard to make a smooth ‘custard’, then crumble in the cheese and season well. Spoon the leeks, bacon into the tart case the carefully pour the mixture into the prepared tart case. Remove the asparagus from the water and pat dry.
7. Arrange the asparagus spears over the tart and push them down a little to be halfway submerged.
8. Return the tart back to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Recipe taken from Clarence Court Eggs

Are you entertaining in the garden this Easter weekend? Let us know which of these savoury egg recipes you make! Tweet us at @goodhomesmag or post a comment on our Facebook page!

RELATED ARTICLES

6 of the best post lockdown picnic accessories

7 garden party ideas for alfresco entertaining

How to create a garden bar