Wild Mushroom Tart

Fresh from the forests and fields of autumnal Germany – the Germans are great mushroom gatherers and it is starting to rub off 🙂

Wild Mushroom Tart

Prep. Time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: approx.30 mins

Makes 1 x 26 cm tin/dish

For the pastry base:

Plain flour                                                              200g

Butter                                                                   100g

Salt                                                                      pinch

For the filling:

Wild mushrooms (depending on what you have in

your foraging basket or from your trusted

farmers’ market supplier)                                      400g

Butter for frying

Onions                                                                  2

Garlic cloves                                                          1

Smoked bacon or ham                                           175g

Fresh thyme                                                          2-3 sprigs, according to taste

Ricotta                                                                  250g

Milk or cream                                                       100ml

Eggs                                                                     2

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Rub the butter into the flour with the pinch of salt to resemble fine breadcrumbs.

2. Mix enough iced cold water to hold the pastry together.

3. Roll out and line the tart dish. Chill for 30 minutes before baking blind at 180 °C.

4. In the meantime, clean up your mushrooms (wiping, not washing, where necessary) and chop roughly.

5. Finely dice the onions and sauté in a frying pan with butter until transparent.

6. Add the diced bacon or ham and sauté for a further five minutes.

7. Add the chopped mushrooms and crushed garlic clove to the onions and bacon and sauté until the mushrooms soften (but do not overcook, you want them to still have a bit of texture in the tart).

8. While the mushrooms are cooking, combine the ricotta, milk, eggs and chopped thyme. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

9. Spread the sautéed mushroom mixture over the pre-baked pastry base and pour over the ricotta mixture, smoothing it over to cover the mushrooms.

10. Bake at 200 °C for about 30 minutes until firm and golden in colour.

“Guten Appetit”!