Ingredients

• 150g/5½oz plain flour
• 100g/3½oz cold butter
• cut into cubes
• 1 free-range egg
• beaten
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 4 thin rashers rindless streaky bacon
• cut into 5cm/2in strips
• 2 free-range eggs
• hard boiled
• peeled
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 6 quails’ eggs
• hard boiled
• peeled
• fresh rocket leaves

Directions

• For the pastry pulse the flour and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• With the motor running
• add the beaten egg and blend until the mixture starts to come together in a ball. Shape the dough into a ball and flatten slightly.
• Roll the pastry out on a floured work surface
• and using a 7.5cm/3in cutter
• cut out 12 rounds. Use them to line a 12 hole muffin tin.
• Prick the base of the pastry with a fork
• and freeze for one hour.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Bake the pastry cases for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• For the bacon and egg filling
• heat the oil in a small non-stick frying pan and fry the bacon over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
• Mash the hens’ eggs with the mayonnaise
• adding salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Spoon the mixture into the pastry cases.
• Cut the quails’ eggs in half and place on top. Add a strip of bacon to each one and garnish the canapés with rocket leaves.