Sunday, February 24, 2013

Mushroom, Spinach & Scallion Tart

1 lb mixed mushrooms, such as button & shiitake, stemmed & sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 Tbs olive oil, plus more for brushing
coarse salt
5 scallions, trimmed and sliced thinly
3 1/2 cups spinach, stemmed
10 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
6 oz fresh goat cheese
3 large eggs
1/3 cup low-fat milk
3 Tbs chopped mixed herbs, such as dill and cilantro

1) Preheat oven to 425F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with 2 Tbs oil, and season with salt. Spread in a single layer, and roast 10 minutes. Toss in the scallions, and roast 15 minutes more. Push mushrooms and scallions to one side, and place spinach on empty side; roast until wilted, about 3 minutes. Let cool briefly; squeeze spinach dry.
2) Lightly brush an 11x7 inch rectangular tart pan with oil. Working with one piece of phyllo at a time and keeping the rest covered with plastic wrap, brush a sheet of the pastry very lightly with oil. Fit into tart pan, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Brush a second sheet with oil, and fit into pan. Repeat with remaining sheets. Fold edges at top to make a border.
3) Crumple a double layer of foil into a rectangle the size of the bottom of the tart, and fit into crust to weigh down center. Place on a baking sheet, and bake until edges are golden and begin to set, about 7 minutes. Remove foil, and bake until golden all over, about 3 minutes more. (Tent edges with foil if browning too quickly.) Remove tart pan from oven.
4) Reduce oven to 375F. In a blender, puree goat cheese, eggs and milk until smooth; season with salt. Add herbs and pulse to combine. Spread vegetables over crust and pour custard over top.
5) Return tart pan to oven, and bake until custard is set, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove tart pan from oven and let cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove sides of pan, and let tart cool at least 10 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Review: I learned back in Maine, that frozen mushroom mixes are cheap and easy. I never found them in Idaho, but was happy to see them at Whole Foods! The frozen bag is cheaper than buying them fresh, they're already clean, and they're sliced nicely. I use them whenever possible, including tonight. It saved a ton of time. Especially considering this dish was not as easy as it was billed in the recipe title. I dirtied a lot of dishes, but tried to keep it to a minimum. Therefore, I roasted the veggies and cooked the tart in the same dish. I was also disappointed that the recipe called for 10 sheets, when there were about 20 in the box. I couldn't defrost the whole thing and try to refreeze half of it. So, I used the whole box. Unfortunately, it was gummy on the bottom. I probably could have cooked the phyllo a little longer before adding the filling, but I thought I was in the clear. Maybe next time I'll just make two tarts to use the box more efficiently. Regardless of all this drama, this was super tasty. I loved the goat cheese and dill combo. I also used basil, but didn't taste that at all.



Adapted from:
http://www.marthastewart.com/953795/mushroom-spinach-and-scallion-tart

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Broccoli Rabe & Pecorino Tart

2 Tbs olive oil
1 bunch broccoli rabe (about 1 lb), cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, sliced
freshly ground salt and black pepper
1 pkg frozen puff pastry (preferably Trader Joe's brand), thawed
8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/2 cup shredded Pecorino Romano

1) Preheat oven to 375F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli rabe, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until the broccoli rabe is tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
2) On a nonstick cooking sheet, lay out the two sheets of puff pastry (pricking holes if it's not Trader Joe's). Top with the mozzarella, broccoli rabe and Pecorino Romano.
3) Bake until the pastry is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Cut into squares.

Review: I prefer to buy puff pastry at Trader Joe's, as it's cheap and it doesn't use high fructose corn syrup. It's a slightly smaller package than other brands (16oz vs 17.3oz), but it is also cut into 2 squares (instead of the 2 trifold pieces that other brands use). Therefore, this was perfect to fit onto one  cooking sheet and make two tarts. I ate 1/2 of a tart and was STUFFED. It was really bitter from the broccoli rabe, but the puff pastry was a little sweet. It was a great balance and was really tasty.



Adapted from:
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/broccoli-rabe-pecorino-tart