Ah, the humble mushroom – a culinary chameleon with a penchant for soaking up flavors and occasionally playing hide and seek in your fridge’s crisper drawer. But today, we’re not just talking about any mushroom dish. No, we’re elevating these fungi to haute cuisine status with a savory Wild Mushroom Tart.
This recipe comes from The Bon Appetit Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild, a greatest hits collection from Bon Appetit’s archives.
Here’s how you make it:
Let’s start with the crust first. It’s time to face my fears—pie dough is scary to me. I have had so many great pies go south because I couldn’t nail the crust. This dough, however, is not that. It’s surprisingly forgiving and ends up uber flaky (just look at the pictures!). You’ll start with a concoction of flour, salt, and butter, but here’s where things get wild—a splash of red wine vinegar.
Once you’ve got your dough chilling in your fridge, it’s time for the pièce de résistance, the filling. It’s a medley of porcini and cremini mushrooms, but feel free to get wild and sub in any exotic mushrooms you can find. We’re also throwing in some shallots, herbs, and Cognac to make this very French.
Now, let’s talk cheese because cheese makes everything better. Gruyère is like the Beyoncé of —it doesn’t just join the band; it becomes the star. Yes, Gruyere is stinky, but its smell does not translate to its taste.
Lastly, we’re adding eggs and cream to make this quiche-adjacent but not so eggy that we’re calling it one. After you’ve baked this masterpiece and your kitchen smells like what I imagine heaven to be, you’ll let it cool. And then, you serve it with a flourish of fresh herbs and a mound of sautéed mushrooms on top because you’re fancy like that.
This is great served for a brunch or dinner for company with a bright arugula salad on the side and a glass of cold, crisp white wine.
Now, go forth and bake this tart without fear. Happy baking!
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Wild Mushroom Tart
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
Description
Indulge in the earthy richness of this Wild Mushroom Tart recipe, a symphony of porcini and cremini mushrooms enrobed in a flaky, buttery crust. Perfect for impressing dinner guests or treating yourself to a gourmet experience right at home. It’s a slice of heaven for mushroom lovers!
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 1–1/4 cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 stick (113 grams) butter, cut into pieces and kept cold
- 3 tablespoons ice water
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
FILLING:
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, washed, stems trimmed, and sliced
- 2 medium shallots, finely minced
- 3 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives
- 2/3 cup (about 2–1/2 ounces) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese, divided
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- To make the crust: Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the chilled butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the ice water and red wine vinegar in a small glass and gradually add through the feed tube, with the food processor running, until moist clumps form. You likely won’t need to add all of the liquid. The dough should not come together in a ball in the food processor; when you pinch pieces together, they should easily stick together. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and dump the dough on top; bring together with your hands, using the plastic wrap to form into a disk. Chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Once chilled, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch, removable bottom tart pan. Trim the edges, leaving about 1/2-inch of dough to overhang; tuck the overhang in to form a thick side crust. Press the tart edges to raise the dough about 1/4-inch above the pan edge. This will help keep the dough from shrinking below the pan. Chill for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, make the filling: Place the porcini mushrooms in a small mixing bowl and pour the boiling water over; let stand for 30 minutes. Remove the porcini from the liquid, and strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or coffee filter; reserve. Coarsely chop the porcini mushrooms.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced cremini mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms begin to soften and release some of their liquid. Add chopped porcinis and a pinch of salt, and raise the heat to high. Continue to cook until the mushrooms become a deep golden-brown, about 10 minutes. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, add the Cognac and reserved strained porcini liquid. Return to medium heat and boil until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Mix in the thyme and 1/2 tablespoon each of the parsley and chives. Reserve about 3/4 cup of mushroom mixture for the top to serve.
- Place a baking rack on the bottom shelf of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°. Prick holes all over the bottom of the chilled tart shell and line with parchment or foil to cover; fill with dried beans or pie weights, pushing out to ensure they reach the edges of the shell. Place on a baking sheet and transfer to the bottom shelf of the oven; bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans; bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the crust is dry and light golden brown.
- Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the Gruyère in the bottom of the crust. Cover with the mushroom mixture. Whisk the cream, egg yolks, and egg together and pour over the mushrooms. Top with the remaining cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until the filling is set and the cheese is melted and golden, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack for 15 minutes before removing the sides of the tart pan. Mound the reserved mushroom mixture in the center of the tart’s top. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and chives before serving.
Notes
Inspiration: Wild Mushroom Tart from The Bon Appetit Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild
- Category: Savory Pies & Tarts
