It’s Finally happened! It’s cold outside. I think the last of the heat snaps are behind us and there is frost on the ground in the mornings. The holidays are literally around the corner now. That means that grilling season is (mostly) over for me and now begins the long baking, roasting, braising, soup eating season. I’ve got a serious weak spot for anything I can turn into a tart or savory pie. Today we are going to be making Savory Mushroom Tarts.
Autumn always makes me want to cram in a few more foraging hikes before it gets too cold. Somehow, in my head, that translates into a strong need to cook with mushrooms. Which are, in my humble opinion, a highly underrated flavor and food category. The pacific northwest is a great place for portabellas, porcinis, and oyster mushrooms.
I’ve finally turned my husband on to mushrooms if they’re cooked into things in interesting ways. But I’m also that weird person that, as a child, could easily be found sitting down at a table with an entire container of white button mushrooms, eating them whole.
I promise this recipe is not as “bland” as that. Its savory, warm, and speaks straight to my prehistoric “hibernation brain”. It’s also super easy to make and looks way fancier than it is. It’s homy enough to be eaten at home alone, but unique and dressy enough to wow at your next dinner party if that’s more your thing. With minimal prep, low cook time, and mostly hands off cooking, this recipe is one of my Go-To’s.
I really dislike it when people wax poetic for a million pages that mean you have to scroll through before getting to the recipe, so let’s get right to it.
Mis en place (aka: get your shit, and put it in its place):
- 1 premade pie crust (you can use Pillsbury if convenience is necessary- and let’s be honest, this time of year its usually necessary. Or, you can use my recipe here.)
- 1/3 of a cup ricotta or goat cheese (Ricotta will give you a sweeter, more mushroom forward flavor. Goat is going to result in a stronger more aromatic tart).
- 6 ounces (about 170.1 g) of sliced mushrooms (you can use cremini or portabella if that’s what is available to you but if you really want to elevate the flavor, I love using oyster or porcini mushrooms or a mix of several).
- ¼ of a yellow onion, cut into thin slices (not diced, it makes for a weird final texture).
- 1.5 ounces (about 42.52 g) of shredded gruyere cheese
- 2 ounces (about 56.7 g) grated parmesan for garnish
- A touch of kosher salt or sea salt and black pepper
- A Pinch of Nutmeg
- 1 egg, separated
- Olive oil
- A sprig of thyme, chopped or 1 tsp dried thyme
- A flat baking sheet
- Parchment paper is useful, but not necessary.
- A medium large skillet
Procedure:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While your oven is preheating, heat a medium Sauté pan over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and heat through. Add your onions to the pan and sweat. Then continue to cook until they are beginning to caramelize and turn golden, but not crisp.
- Add mushrooms to the pan and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender. This should take about 4 minutes. Add the thyme and stir briefly to combine. Then, turn off heat and set aside temporarily.
- On an ungreased cookie sheet or sheet pan lined with parchment paper (if using), roll out prepared pie dough. If you are making your own, roll it out into about an eleven or twelve inch circle.
- Brush the egg white all over the crust, leaving about a 1 ½ inch perimeter bare.
- Spread the ricotta or goat cheese across the area covered with egg white. Then sprinkle your parmesan garnish over the cheese. Top with a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Gently spread the mushroom and onion mixture over the top of the cheese. Cover evenly with gruyere.
- Fold over the edges of the exposed pie crust so that a strudy edge is made; creating gentle pleats as you go. Don’t stress too much here- this style of tart is meant to look rustic, so it doesn’t have to be Rachael Ray picturesque.
- Brush the top of the pastry with the egg yolk. Finally, top with another sprinkle of parmesan if desired.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, crust should look golden but not burnt. If you are using store bought, you’ll land closer to the 20 minute mark, homemade pie crust or slightly thicker pie crust will run closer to 30 minutes.
- Let cool for 8-10 minutes before transferring to a serving dish or slicing.
Let us know what you think, and feel free to leave any pictures, variations you enjoy, or questions and trouble shooting. Have Fun!
~Mikaela
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