Summary
Serves: 4
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Tips
This tart is best made with wild mushrooms, but they should only be picked by experienced mushroom gatherers. If you cannot find any to buy – or pick yourself – then exotic or cultivated mushrooms can be used as a substitute. The pastry case is made with spelt flour and chopped walnuts. This gives it a delightful texture which contrasts well with the filling. You can use wheat flour if you want, but spelt offers the dish a nicer texture.
Bake the tarts in four 12 cm (4½”) diameter flan tins with loose bases. If you don't have individual flan tins use a 23 cm (9 inch) flan dish instead.
Children picking mushroom. Photo: Image Bank Sweden
Ingredients
Pastry
220 g (1,25 cups) whole grain spelf flour
15 g (2 tbsp) chopped walnuts
pinch salt
75 g (3 oz) butter, chopped into small pieces
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp water
Filling
4 shallots, finely chopped
400 g (1lb) mushroom, preferably wild, and brushed clean
25 g (1 oz) butter
2 tsp chopped thyme
1 lemon, grated zest only
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 egg yolk
150 ml (0,25 cups) double (heavy) cream
100 ml (0,5 cups) milk
50 g (2 oz) Västenbottenost
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 walnut halves
*Use parmesan cheese if you can't get Västenbottensost
Method
1. Briefly blitz the flour, chopped walnuts and salt in a food processor.
2. Add the butter and continue to blitz until it forms fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the egg yolk and water and blend until it forms a dough. Add more water if it is too dry. Cover with clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F, Gas 6, Fan 170°C).
5. Roll out the pastry and line 4 lightly-greased loose-bottomed tart tins.
6. Bake blind for 10 minutes and then non-blind for a further 5 minutes.
7. Gently fry the shallots in the butter until softened but not brown.
8. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are beginning to soften.
9. Stir in the thyme, lemon zest and parsley then season.
10. Whisk the egg yolk, cream, milk and cheese together, then stir into the pan.
11. Divide the mixture between the tins and top each with a walnut half.
12. Bake for 20 minutes or until set.
13. Serve warm or cold