For the pastry: sift the flour into a mixing bowl and stir in the salt. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually add the water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing continuously until the mixture just comes together as a dough. Roll the dough into a ball, then wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 200°C (180° fan) 400°F gas 6. Grease a 23 cm| 9" flan tin or dish.

For the filling: wash the spinach and cook in a pan with the water just clinging to the leaves, until just wilted. Remove and leave to cool, before chopping roughly.

Heat the butter in a pan and add the shallots and spinach. Cook for 10 minutes, then stir in the thyme and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix together the milk, cream, egg yolks, flour and cheese.

Roll out 2/3 of the dough on a floured work surface, until it is almost twice as wide as the diameter of the pie tin. Line the base and sides of the tin. Gently press the pastry into the corners of the tin, trimming off any excess.

Put half the spinach mixture on the pastry base and arrange the halved eggs on top. Cover with the remaining spinach mixture. Pour in the egg mixture.

Roll out the remaining dough on a floured surface until it is slightly larger than the tin. Brush the rim of the pastry case with some of the beaten egg and place the pastry lid on top of the pie. Trim off any excess pastry.