Savory baked eggs in filo. The best recipe for motherhood

Is there any one recipe for motherhood? I don't think so but if you have one, let me know.

For the same reason there are many kinds of cooks there are many types of mums. I like stewing but some cooks prefer grilling, for example. As a mother, I rather use my common sense and listen to my friends' advice from their own experience than reading parenting books although many mothers find them very useful and practical; not me.

My second child, Gabriel, is going through a difficult phase of having tantrums, the "terrible twos" and suffering a bit of jealously given his youngest brother baby, Juanan. Last night Gab tried to jump from the bed into Juanan's cot but he fell down and cut his chin. Blood everywhere but at least Juanan was ok and not squashed.

Last week I went to the doctor to check some kind of a virus that my daughter Aurelia had. After two hours explaining 100 times to Aurelia that the doctor had to do this and that, we finally left the clinic. When I was about to leave, the doctor, who was a woman, told me "Ma'am, I have learnt a lot from you today. You were so calm, patient and relaxed with your daughter that I wish I were the same with my children at home. I sometimes yell at them". I was flattered by this lovely doctor but I knew I was NOT always like that at home.

Sometimes you meet another mum and you wish you were like her, the "perfect mum" who never yells, loses control over her kids and makes beautiful home cooked meals for them. Well, I speak loud occasionally but not often, it is true (I don't like noise and shouting), but I do lose a bit of control when I am stressed at home with the three kids and my dinners are not always great, I am ashamed to confess.

That woman didn't know that early in the morning Aurelia knocked her bowl of cereal to the floor and there was milk every where, even in Gab's hair, just 10 minutes before the school bus arrived. I overreacted and said "Aurelia, you have to be careful, look at the mess and there is not time for you to get ready for the bus!!!!". I probably said it a little bit loud.

When Aurelia left to school I felt terrible, very guilty. I should have said sorry to Aure for my reaction. It was just an accident and we all have them.

That woman didn't know that late in the afternoon, after being three hours at the hospital with Juanan to change his cast of his leg, Gab had 2 tantrums and had been in the "time out" chair 4 times which was quite tiring for me (and for the poor yaya who never complains).

When Gabriel was fast asleep I felt bad again. Perhaps I was too hard on him??? Asleep he looked like an angel!!

When Nick came home from work I noticed he was tired. So we had dinner and I told him what the doctor said in the morning that I was a good mum. His answer was "Of course you are darling, but you knew that, right?". I didn't tell him about my day because he didn't have to hear my whinging. I just wanted to listen again those magic words that made me feel I wasn't a bad mum after all.

For dinner I made savoury baked eggs. I placed three plates on the table: one with cherry tomatoes, one with char grilled asparagus and the last one with 4 cute little cups filled with baked eggs. I asked Aurelia to decorate her dinner plate with the food she liked from the table (but she had to eat what she chose) and told her I would do it the same. We would compare the plates and take two photos for the blog mum was writing. She loved the idea.

If I see the world through my children's eyes and not using only mine, perhaps I will understand my children better when they are frustrated or maybe I will accept that there is not a perfect type of mother.

No, I don't have the best recipe for motherhood because I am still learning how to be a mother (and a good cook!) and my own children are actually teaching me. I still believe they also need rules, limits and routines though, but within those boundaries they see things that I don't…like a happy face.

This recipe is from the cookbook "heart of the artichoke" by David Tanis that Nick's aunt Helen sent to me in July last year and I just love it. David Tanis is the head chef at the famous Chez Panisse of Alice Walters, a Californian restaurateur, food writer and food activist who started some years ago encouraging North Americans to eat seasonal, local and sustainably produced foods. 

Alice Walters helped establish the Edible School yard in Berkeley, California, two decades ago. She also influenced Stephanie Alexander with her Kitchen Garden Foundation which was launched in 2001 in Melbourne and Stephanie now it counts with 473 primary schools around Australia, like a spiderweb!. Amazing.

Savory baked eggs in filo

Makes 6

To make this simple baked eggs, you must first bake the filo pastry cups. You can do this several hours ahead.

• 6 sheets filo pastry
• 1 stick melted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion sliced
• salt and pepper
• 1 garlic clove, smashed to a paste with a bit of salt
• 1/2 tspn cayenne
• 1/2 cumin seeds, toasted and ground
• 6 large organic eggs
• Lemon wedges
• Coriander sprigs for garnish
• Harissa Oil (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 375C.
2. To make the pastries, lay a 12-inch square sheet of fill flat on the counter. Paint it generously with with melted butter and fold it in half. Paint again with butter and fold once more. Carefully cut a circle of 6 inch. Gently press the circle of fill into a muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheets. bake for 5 minutes until just barely golden. Cool. Leave the oven on.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and let it brown slightly, then turn the heat down. Cook until the onion is brown about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, cayenne, and cumin and cook for a minute. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
5. Spoon a little of the onion filling into each pastry cup. Break an egg into each cup and season with salt and pepper.
6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the eggs are set but the yolks are runny. Serve warm on a plate with lemon wedges, garnish with coriande and drizzle, if you like, with Harissa Oil.

Harissa oil (makes 1 cup and it will keep in the fridge for a week or two)

• 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds, coriander seeds, caraway seeds, fennel seeds
• 3 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne 
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup olive oil
• a few drops of red wine vinegar

1. Toast all the seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until they are fragrant.
2. Grind the toasted seeds in a mortar or spice mill, then put them in a bowl.
3. Add the paprika, cayenne, garlic and salt. Stir in the olive oil and vinegar.