Mushroom and Onion Tart
A real show stopper and ideal for vegetarians. When we tested the recipe we found it essential to blind bake the pastry first, before adding the filling. We used our sour cream pastry.
YOU WILL NEED
Caramelised Onions
- 2 onions, peeled and sliced into half rings
- 2 T (30 ml) white vinegar (any cheap supermarket one)
- 2 T (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) soft brown sugar
- 1 t (5 ml) Ina Paarman’s Seasoned Sea Salt
Pastry
- 500 g Ina’s sour cream pastry or store bought all butter puff pastry
- 1 egg yolk
- a pinch of salt
- a pinch of sugar
Filling
- caramelised onions
- 1 x 200 g Ina Paarman’s Ready to Serve Cheese Sauce
- 8 brown mushrooms
- Ina Paarman’s Garlic Pepper Seasoning
- olive oil
Garnish
- sprigs of thyme
Caramelised Onions
Place the sliced onions in a saucepan. Add white vinegar and water. Boil open for 5 minutes while stirring now and again. Strain and discard vinegar water. To the same saucepan with the onions, add the balsamic vinegar, sugar and Seasoned Sea Salt. Boil with lid on for ± 30 minutes until thick and jammy. Cool.
Tart
Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 200°C. Roll out pastry, lift onto baking paper and cut into a rectangle 30 cm x 15 cm. Using a pizza wheel or small sharp knife. Cut 1 cm wide pastry strips from the off-cuts to build up the edges. Make an egg wash by beating the egg yolk, salt and sugar together and glue the edge strips down with a little egg wash. Prick the centre all over with a fork. Cover the pastry with baking paper and weigh down the centre using pottery balls or dried beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes.
Spread the cooled onion mixture over the middle portion of the pre-baked pastry, squeeze Cheese Sauce over onion and carefully spread. Be sure not to go onto the outer edge. Position mushrooms rounded side down on tart. Season mushrooms lightly with Garlic Pepper Seasoning and drizzle with a little olive oil. Brush outer edge of pastry with egg wash. When brushing the pastry with the egg yolk, do not allow it to run down the sides as it will stop the pastry from puffing up. Brushing with egg wash gives the pastry a glossy finish. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes.
Egg wash: 1 egg yolk or whole egg beaten with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar.
