This week, we are offering two different tart recipes featuring crusts made from frozen puff pastry. This is an ingredient I always have on hand in my house. Being able to thaw a sheet or three means I'm often less than an hour away from absolutely stunning tarts, turnovers, and other pastry delights. Since cooler weather makes baking an easy endeavor, we thought we'd offer another way to make savory baking a snap.
The second tart features a blend of sautéed mushrooms paired with cheese, sage, and a great Balsamic Glaze. You can use whichever mushrooms you like, have access to, or are in season where you live. I used a combination of sliced baby bella and oyster mushrooms. In spring, I might opt for baby button mushrooms paired with some stellar morel mushrooms. In this tart, I used smoked gouda as the first layer in the tart and topped it with a very good parmesan cheese. You can choose other varieties, but I recommend using a strongly flavored good melting cheese for the first layer and a parmesan, romano, or even blue cheese for topping. I love sage as a final topping after baking and it suits this season so well, but if you've got other fresh herbs, feel free to use them. Be sure to add them while the tart is just out of the oven and hot enough to wilt the herbs a bit and help their amazing aroma waft across the table.
Like the tart from earlier this week, it pairs well with soup. That said, I'm also a fan of having it alongside a good autumn salad too. I've had it alongside a salad with mixed greens, sliced apple or pear, diced roasted beets, nuts, and crumbled goat or blue cheese. But however you choose to serve it, let the flavors speak for themselves and enjoy!
Puff Pastry Mushroom Tart
- 2 olive oil (or other cooking oil)
- 1 lb. mixed mushrooms, cleaned and sliced - I used baby bellas and oyster mushrooms
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 sheet puff pastry (about 9 oz.), thawed and refrigerated until ready to use
- 1 c. grated smoked gouda cheese
- ¼ c. grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, mixed with 1 tablespoon water (AKA egg wash)
- Balsamic Glaze and fresh torn/chopped sage for serving (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and sliced mushrooms. Toss the mushrooms with the oil. Cook the mushrooms on medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. They’ll start to release water after 3-6 minutes of cooking. After that, you won’t have to stir them as often.
After 15 minutes of cooking, add the minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together and cook for 5 more minutes. Take off the heat and transfer to a bowl or a plate to cool.
Lay the defrosted, chilled puff pastry dough on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Lightly roll out with a rolling pin as needed to use the space on the pan.
Using a knife, score a border ½-inch from the edge around the whole sheet making sure not to cut through the dough. Use a fork to pierce the part of the dough that will have toppings on it. Sprinkle the puff pastry evenly with the grated smoked gouda, avoiding the edges. Spread the sautéed mushroom over the gouda. Finish with the grated parmesan cheese. Brush the edges with an egg wash.
Bake the tart in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove the tart from the oven, add fresh sage and balsamic glaze if desired, and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Yields: 16 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes