A Simple Mushroom Tart

WORDS:: Chyka Keebaugh

PHOTOS:: Lisa Atkinson

This quick and easy mushroom tart makes for a great Sunday evening meal; pour a glass of wine, play some relaxing tunes and enjoy a Sunday afternoon of creating this beautiful dish.

Did you know there are over 10,000 types of mushrooms? I didn’t! I was familiar with about five and then it all get’s a little dangerous and exotic to me! Apart from the ones you can purchase at the market I certainly wouldn’t feel confident foraging through the forest and eating what I pick.

These fleshy growths of fungus (sounds delicious right?) are a delicious addition to many meals and suit nearly all cuisines. I've had them from a tandoori oven, in noodle soups, stuffed and baked in the oven and fried up in butter on toast - there isn’t much they can't do! And what is even better is that they are good for you. Mushrooms are an excellent source of iron and are low in calories; they are also known to be helpful for those with high cholesterol. So let’s eat some!

Ingredients::

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, partially thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
20g butter
4 eschalots, finely sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
200g button mushrooms, quartered
200g cup mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
50g Fetta, crumbled
Fresh thyme leaves and salad leaves, to serve

Method::

Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Layer pastry sheets on prepared tray. Press to seal. Using a sharp knife, score 1.5cm border around pastry (don't cut all the way through). Prick centre with a fork. Brush with egg. Cover with baking paper and weights. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden and puffed.
Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add eschalots and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add mushroom and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes or until mushroom is just tender and liquid has almost evaporated. Remove from heat.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushroom mixture to centre of pastry. Top with feta. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and puffed. Stand for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with thyme. Serve with salad.

CREDITS::

Recipe from Taste.com