Earthy flavored and deliciously rich, these Wild Mushroom Puff Pastry Tarts will step up your umami game. These are excellent alongside roasted meats or as a vegetarian entrée.
Serves: Makes 4 individual tarts/servings
Difficulty: moderate
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Diet: Vegetarian (can be GF, if sub GF pastry)
Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten
3 medium shallots, halved and sliced
4 T butter, divided
2 T olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ t each salt and pepper, or to taste
3/4 lb wild mushrooms, quartered or sliced, as desired (chanterelle, oyster, shiitake, and other small, soft mushrooms work well)
2 T fresh thyme, chopped
1 T fresh sage, chopped
2 T sherry (or dry white wine)
¼ c heavy cream (or sour cream when removed from heat)
¼ c Parmesan, shredded
¼ c favorite Oregon-made cheese, shredded or crumbled
Fresh herb leaves for garnish
Steps
Preheat oven to 400°. Cut puff pastry sheet into four equal pieces, approx. 4” by 5”. Place on parchment-lined sheet pan and brush lightly with beaten egg. Bake until golden and puffed high in center; check to ensure bottom is also browned. Remove from heat and cool to handle.
Meanwhile, sauté shallots in 2 T butter and 1 T oil until soft, 3 min. Add garlic, salt and pepper and cook 1 min more. Add remaining butter, oil and mushrooms and cook 3-4 min. Add herbs, then deglaze pan with sherry. Add cream and reduce gently until thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan, then taste for seasoning. The mushrooms should be tender yet still colorful and individually recognizable. Keep warm.
With a sharp knife, cut along top edges of baked pastry leaving a border, going through top layers of puff pastry to create a box; do not cut edges or through the bottom. Press layers down in center to create a cavity. Spoon mushroom mixture into each tart, filling with ½ c or so of mushroom mixture. Top with a sprinkle of cheese, as desired. Return to oven and bake 5-7 min until cheese has melted and tops are golden brown. Serve immediately with fresh herbs sprinkled over each.
