Eggs Baked in Marrow with Spinach, Cheese & Tomato

I had a marrow in the fridge to make Nigel's Marvellous Marrows but I've still been hankering after the Alpine Eggs with Asparagus & Cheese that I made last weekend. Why not make a hybrid of the two, I thought?

Eggs Baked in Marrows with Spinach, Cheese & Tomato
Serves 2

1 x small/medium marrow
100g x spinach leaves, chopped
8 x cherry tomatoes, halved
Extra virgin olive oil
4 x free range eggs
100g Cheshire cheese, crumbled
Chives, chopped (dried or fresh)
Butter
Salt & black pepper

• Pre-heat the oven to 200° C / 392°F.
• Brush the bottom of an oven-proof dish with oil.
• Cut the marrow into four 2" rounds. Cut out the centres with the seeds.

• Place in the greased baking dish.
• Stuff the spinach and tomatoes into the marrow rings.
• Put a sprinkling of chives in each one and season.
• Drizzle generously with olive oil and put a small knob of butter on top of each ring.
• Put the lid on the baking dish or cover with foil if your dish doesn't have a lid and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the marrow is softening.
• Take the dish out of the oven.  By this time the spinach should have wilted down leaving plenty of room for the egg. Carefully crack an egg into each ring, don't worry too much if it spills over a little.
• Gently top with the crumbled Cheshire cheese and put back in the oven but without the lid this time.
• Bake for a further 15 minutes until the eggs are done.

Serve with fresh bread for a nutritious and tasty lunch or supper.