Mushroom Tart

Adapted from Real Simple (January 2011)

The simplicity of this dish is the key to its success. I don’t often use puff pastry because it’s a bit of an indulgence. Every now and again, it’s a great way to make dinner seem a bit special with just a handful of ingredients. This dish is perfect with a crisp green salad dressed with mustard vinaigrette.

1 sheet all-butter puff pastry, thawed (1/2 of one package)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
10 oz. assorted mushrooms (cremini, shittake, oyster), sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 oz. sharp white cheddar, freshly grated
Fresh chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the thawed sheet of pastry, lay it on the lined baking pan, then cut it into four equal parts. Prick the top of each piece with a fork.
In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the shallots and the mushrooms, then sprinkle with the salt and the pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, until shallots are translucent and mushrooms have begun to brown and release their water. Add the white wine to the pan and continue cooking until the pan is almost dry. Remove the shallots and mushrooms from the heat.
Top each puff pastry quarter with about a tablespoon of the cheese leaving a narrow border along the edges. You will use about 1/2 the cheese. Divide the mushroom mixture into four equal parts and top each puff pastry quarter with the mushroom. Use the remaining cheese to top them off, then bake for roughly 22 minutes. The pastry will be golden and puffed up and the cheese will be melted and brown. Top with fresh chives, if desired.
Quick Tips
1. Dufour makes the best puff pastry there is. I’ve found it at Whole Foods in the freezer section. It’s rather expensive but so very worth it.
2. As I was nibbling away at this tart, it occurred to me that you could really use just about any combination of vegetables here. In the summer, it might be fun to try this with zucchini and tomatoes. In the fall, I might consider butternut squash and sage. Maybe before the winter is over I’ll try another version using leeks and gruyere. One could get pretty carried away with the possibilities.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

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