MUSHROOM, SPINACH & CHEESE TARTS Makes 4 small tarts
110g Plain flour
60g unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1 eschalot, (the little brown ones) quartered
1 cup mixed wild mushrooms, such as field, oyster & Swiss brown, quartered
50g baby spinach
30g gruyere/Swiss/Jarlsberg or tasty cheddar cheese (I used Swiss) - cubed
2 large eggs (70g)
120g pure thin cream (cooking cream)
White pepper
Place flour, butter and salt in TM bowl and mix for about
10 secs/speed 6. Or until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Set dial to
closed lid position. Add 1 ½ tblsp cold water and knead for
1 ½ min/interval speed to form a dough. Add a little more water if necessary to bind. (I didn’t need to).
Turn mixture out of bowl and pull together in your hands. Form a ball and wrap in clingwrap and put in fridge for about 30 mins before rolling out and using. Clean out bowl and put back ready.
Place cubed cheese into bowl and grate for
5 secs/speed 8. Remove from bowl.
Prepare filling by putting mushrooms and eschalot into bowl and chopping
2 secs/speed 4. Remove from bowl. Rinse out bowl and wipe dry with kitchen paper. Put back ready.
Heat a little bit of oil in a frypan over med-high heat. Cook the eschalot and mushrooms for 1-2 mins until they begin to soften. Add spinach and cook for a further 1-2 mins until wilted. Drain. Place in a bowl and allow to cool for 1-2 mins and then gently stir through grated cheese. Put to one side.
Grease four 10cm loose bottomed tart pans. Divide dough into 4 and roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface to 4mm thick, then use to line tart pans. Leave a bit of an overhang in case pastry shrinks. Prick bases with a fork and chill for 30mins. Preheat oven 200c.
Line tart cases with baking paper, then fill with weights. Bake for 10 mins. Remove weights and paper and trim the overhanging pastry. Bake for a further 10 mins approx (until pale golden). Reduce oven 180c.
Put cream and eggs into TM bowl and combine for
5 secs/speed 4.
Divide mushroom mixture among tarts, and then pour over egg mixture from the TM bowl.
Bake for anywhere between 15-30 mins (depending on your oven) or until set and turning lightly golden. Cool tarts in pans for 5 mins, then serve warm.
Notes:These would be perfect for a light lunch served with a nice salad. Really nice flavours and the pastry was nice and light also. Thoroughly enjoyed these.
