Mushroom tart

The simple egg tart is a great way to use seasonal mushrooms.

Credit: James Martin's French Adventure

• serves

  6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Pastry

• 200 g plain flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 100 g cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) iced water

Filling

• 25 g butter
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 250 g fresh ceps, wiped clean and sliced (see Note)
• 4 eggs
• 200 ml double cream
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chilling time: 30 minutes.

Instructions

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl and add half the butter. Using your fingertips, gently and swiftly rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the rest of the butter and rub in until the mixture starts to form clumps the size of small peas. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. 
2. In a small bowl, mix together the beaten egg, lemon juice and water, then gradually pour into the dry ingredients, a little at a time, using a knife to help form a dough – you may not need all the liquid. Turn out the dough onto a floured board and knead lightly until smooth. Shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6). Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 5mm thickness and carefully press  into a 22cm tart tin, leaving the edges hanging over. Line the pastry case with baking parchment, fill with dried beans or rice and blind bake for about 15 minutes until the pastry is set.
4. Meanwhile, for the filling, melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan until foaming and fry the shallots and mushrooms for 4–5 minutes until deep golden brown.
5. Remove the tart case from the oven and lift out the baking paper and beans, then trim the overhanging pastry edges.
6. Whisk the eggs and cream together in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and pour into the tart case. Gently and evenly spoon in the mushroom mixture, then bake the tart for 25–30 minutes until golden and set.

Note

• James uses ceps (also known as porcini), a popular mushroom in England and parts of Europe, but not common as a fresh mushroom in Australia. Substitute shiitake, Swiss brown, portobello or cremini.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.