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Wild Mushroom Tart With Walnut Cream

Ingredients

  • 1 ⅓ cups flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 ½ ounces unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
  • 2 ¼ pounds small porcini, cepes, boletes, or Italian brown mushrooms
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 ounces finely diced prosciutto, preferably imported from Switzerland
  • ⅔ cup walnut meats
  • 1 ⅓ packed cups cubed dried bread, soaked for 10 minutes in 1/3 cup milk or water and squeezed dry
  • 1 large shallot, chopped and softened in 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons French walnut oil
  • 8 4- or 4 1/2-inch-wide tartlet molds or flan rings
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

      388 calories; 28 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 110 milligrams cholesterol; 279 milligrams sodium

      • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

Eight servings

Preparation

  1. Make the pastry one day in advance by placing the flour and pinch of salt in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Sift by turning on and off once. Scatter the butter over the flour. Turn machine four or five times, or until the mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Sprinkle with two and one-half tablespoons of ice water and turn the machine on and off twice. Dump onto a work surface covered with a sheet of waxed paper. The dough should not be too crumbly; if it is, sprinkle with droplets of cold water – just enough to mass the dough together; don’t let it get at all damp. Wrap tightly and chill overnight.
  2. Place the dough between sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and roll out to make a large rectangle. Lift off the top sheet and fold the pastry dough into thirds. Turn the dough one-quarter and repeat rolling and folding once. Chill the dough for 20 minutes, then cut into eight equal-sized pieces. Roll out each portion to a paper-thin round and fit into mold or flan ring. Keep chilled until ready to bake. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
  3. Trim cepes’ stems and wipe caps with a damp paper towel. Blanch for five minutes in salted boiling water; drain and press dry between paper toweling. Place the egg, prosciutto, bread, walnuts and shallots in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with metal blade and grind to a smooth paste, scraping down the insides of the work bowl from time to time. Scrape into a wide soup bowl, cover and refrigerate for three-quarters of an hour. Using a dinner fork, gradually work in small amounts of the cold cream into the walnut mixture. Each portion of cream must be blended in before the next is added. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread an even, thin layer of the walnut mixture on the dough. Cut the cepes vertically into very thin slices; fan the slices slightly and place on top of the cream. Brush the surface with a little melted butter mixed with crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Bake on the middle oven shelf for 30 minutes. If using tartlet molds, cool on a wire rack for five minutes before turning out. Sprinkle the mushrooms with a few drops of walnut oil. Serve with a strong sweet chilled wine, such as Sherry.
  • If using flan rings, use on a dark-finish baking sheet for a crisp crust.

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