Fungi afoot! Mushrooms are plentiful and superb here in Tassie. Particularly in Hobart. Every Sunday, people rush to buy the just-grown mushrooms of a certain young man. He always has a plethora of varieties, is knowledgeable about them all, and his obsession is clear. No one knows his name. He’s simply ‘The mushroom man’. Easy.
A mushroom quiche is a lovely dish for a light lunch or dinner. Or part of a buffet spread. And as so many of my friends are heading into vegetarian/vegan territory, it’s important I cater to their proclivities. Fair enough, so it’s into fungi I dive.
This is easy, but should be eaten on the day it’s made – fresh from the oven is best. If you do have to pre-cook and store in the fridge, heat it back in the oven for about twenty or so minutes. The flavours and your taste buds will thank you.
MUSHROOM QUICHE
Ingredients:
1 sheet from a packet of puff pastry
3 or 4 spring onions
500 grams fresh button or mix of mushrooms, chopped
250 grams feta cheese
5 eggs
300 mls heavy cream
50 grams finely grated parmesan cheese
small sprig rosemary
Salt and pepper
Small knob of butter
Method:
Grease a quiche dish and press a sheet of the pastry onto the base and up the sides. Cut the corners off and work into the gaps so you should be able to use just one sheet to cover a whole dish. Butter the top of the pastry as well. (This adds a lovely richness to the filling).
Pastry waiting
In a heavy saucepan, melt a little butter and fry the mushrooms so they sweat and lose their water, and cook down. About 10 or so minutes. Put aside to cool.
Sweating ‘Shrooms
Preheat your oven now to about 170 degrees Celsius. In a large bowl, add the spring onions sliced (I like to add them raw for extra flavor), crumble the feta, and add the cooled mushrooms.
Onion and Fetta
In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream, so well blended, season with salt and pepper, add the rosemary leaves, then add to the mushroom mixture. Pour into the pastry case.
Sprinkle the Parmesan on top. (This adds a lovely richness and depth of flavor to the quiche).
The mixture
Bake in the oven for 35 – 40 minutes until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes to set. Cut into 8 or 12 pieces.
Do you have a fave mushroom recipe you’d like to share? Be our guest!
Chrissie
