One of my favorite appetizers at our wedding was a mini mushroom tart. In my mind, this Savory Mushroom Tart mirrors that delicious flavor at our wedding and and still works as a great appetizer when served in wedges.
This Savory Mushroom Tart is layered with earthy mushrooms, caramelized shallots, cheese and a buttery pie crust.
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What do you need to make this Mushroom Tart
Equipment:
- Tart pan
- Sharp knife
Time:
- 80 minutes
Produce:
- 14 oz fresh mushrooms diced (mix of portobello, shitake, etc…)
- 4 shallots diced
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Dairy:
- 1 egg
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ C parmesan cheese
- ⅓ C milk
Pantry:
- ¼ t salt
- ⅛ t pepper
- 2 T Worcestershire sauce
- Pie Crust (homemade or store-bought)
Three tricks:
- Blind bake the crust. This will prevent a soggy bottom. (yes, I am a Great British Baking supper fan)
- Saute the finely diced shallots and mushrooms until they are browned and caramelized. This will give the best flavor and texture to your tart.
- If you are making your own pie crust try this Easy Homemade Pie Crust. While the dough is chilling, prepare the mushroom filling. If you bought pie dough fromthe store, just start up by sauting the mushrooms and shallots.
How to make the Mushroom Tart:
Saute the Mushrooms and Shallots:
In a large frying pan heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add the finely diced mushrooms and finely diced shallots to the frying pan. Season generously with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms and shallots for 10 to 15 minutes or until the mushrooms are browned and thoroughly cooked. Add 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and mix into the mushrooms while cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed by the mushrooms. Let the mushrooms cool before mixing them with the other filling ingredients.
Blind Bake the crust:
While important, It sounds like a bigger deal than it really its. Place the pie crust in the oven for 10 minutes without the filling. The key is to line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights (or dry beans) to prevent the bottom from forming air bubbles and to prevent the sides of the crust from falling and collapsing.
Blind-baking allows the crust to bake and set, ensuring a crisp bottom. With a custard pie, like this mushroom tart, the moisture in the filling can make the crust soggy before it has time to bake. Blind baking the crust until it’s roughly half-baked helps the crust stay firm.
Neither do I! Uncooked rice or dried beans work just as well. And don’t toss them after baking. They can be reused time and again. Simply allow them to cool and then store in an airtight container.
It will all be fine! If you just can’t be bother to blind bake the crust, don’t. Blind baking definitely brings your tart to the next level, but the filling is so savory and delicious that your guests will hardly notice thatthe bottom does not pass the perfectly crisp test. Don’t let perfection get in the way of enjoying your soggy bottom with damn good flavor!
How to Blind Bake the Crust:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Pull your frozen pie crust out and prick the bottom of the crust with a fork 6-8 times. This will allow steam to escape in the oven. Line the pie crust with either parchment paper or aluminum foil, then fill the lined pie crust with pie weights or dry beans.
Cook the pie crust for 10 minutes with the weights or beans. Then remove the weights and bake for another 5 minutes.
Prepping the filling:
While the pie crust is baking, mix together the filling. In a large bowl mix the egg, mozzarella, parmesan, milk, and fresh thyme. Finally, combine the cooled mushroom and shallot mixture with the cheesy custard. Pour the custard into the blindly baked crust.
Turn the oven down to 375. Place the tart on the wire rack in the middle of the oven and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until set and lightly brown. Let the tart come to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Recipe
Savory Musroom Tart
Ingredients
- 14 oz mushrooms mix
- 4 shallots
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 cup mozzarella
- ½ parm
- ¼ Salt
- ⅛ Pepper
- 2 T Worcestershire sauce
- Pie Crust homemade or store-bought
Instructions
How to make the mushroom tart:
- In a large frying pan heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat.
- Add the finely chopped mushrooms and finely chopped shallots to the frying pan.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Saute mushrooms and shallots for 10 to 15 minutes or until the mushrooms are browned and thoroughly cooked.
- Add 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and mix into the mushrooms while cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed by the mushrooms.
- Let the mushrooms cool before mixing them with the other filling ingredients.
Blind Bake the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Pull your frozen pie crust out and prick the bottom of the crust with a fork 6-8 times.
- Line the pie crust with either parchment paper or aluminum foil, then fill the lined pie crust with pie weights or dry beans.
- Cook the pie crust for 10 minutes with the weights or beans.
- Then remove the weights and bake for another 5 minutes.
Prepping the filling:
- While the pie crust is baking mix together the filling.
- In a large bowl mix the egg mozzarella Parmesan, milk, and fresh time.
- Finally, combine The cooled mushroom and shallot mixture with the cheesy custard.
- Pour the custard into the blindly baked crust.
- Turn the oven down to 375.
- Place the tart on the wire rack in the middle of the oven and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until set and lightly brown.
Kristin says
Just served this at my son's baptism party and multiple guests kept commenting on how good they were. Some swore they were so savory there must be sausage in them - and were surprised to learn they were vegetarian.
Nora Bourdeau says
Thanks Kristin, glad it was a hit!