Mushroom Tart
Mushroom Tart
Servings: 6
While the change of seasons to autumn brings a flush of wild mushrooms growing in our surrounding forests, these delicious little tarts for one can be made with farmed fungus. There are a few steps to make these entrée sized tarts, but take your time and enjoy the process. It starts with the best all-round pastry made in a food processor. You can use quality frozen shortcrust pastry such as Carême but brisee pastry is so easy to make.
Ingredients
Brisee Pastry
- 300 g plain flour
- good pinch of table salt
- 225 g cold butter, cut into small cubes
- 85 ml iced water
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Filling
- 60g butter
- 2 onions, very finely sliced
- 15g brown sugar
- Salt and pepper
- 10ml sherry or red wine vinegar
- 20ml extra virgin olive oil
- 500g mixed mushrooms, finely sliced
- 1tspn fresh thyme leaves
- Small 2 punnets cherry tomatoes
- Olive oil to drizzle
- Vinegar to drizzle
- Egg yolk
- 300ml crème fraiche
- 60g finely grated parmesan cheese
- Zest half lemon finely grated
- Finely chopped soft herbs
Method
- Place the flour, salt and butter in a free-standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Alternatively, place the flour and salt in a cold glass bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Or you can mix the flour, salt and butter in a food processor using the cutting blade and pulse function.
- Add the iced water and lemon juice and mix through until just blended. Do not over-mix or the pastry will toughen and lose its potential to become light and flaky. Mould into a ball and wrap in plastic and set in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Grease 6 x 10cm fluted tart tins.
- While the pastry is cooling make the caramelised onions by heating 30g of the butter in a heavy based saucepan over low heat. When melted, add the onion, sugar and 5ml vinegar. Cook for 20 minutes covered stirring regularly or until brown and sticky. Season to taste. Set aside.
- While the onions are cooking cook the mushrooms in a similar method in the extra virgin olive oil, the other 30g of butter and thyme over medium heat or until browned. Remove from heat. Season to taste. Set aside
- Meanwhile, place the cherry tomatoes on an oven proof tray, sprinkle with olive oil, 5ml vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes or until they soften. Set aside.
- Divide the pastry into six equal pieces. Roll out into 12cm circles on a floured bench. Gently lower the circles over the tart tins and gently press the pastry into the tins. Use a knife to trim the pastry. Prick the base of the pastry. Cover with baking paper and loosely fill with dried beans or similar and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and brush the tarts with egg yolk and cook for a further 5-10 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Remove the tarts from their tins and allow to cool on a rack.
- Mix the crème fraiche with the parmesan and lemon rind. Check for seasoning. Divide the caramelised onion equally between the tarts and spread around. Do the same with the mushroom. Spread over the crème fraiche mixture. Dress the tarts with the cooked cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with a little sea salt flakes and chopped herbs.