We’re just a week and 2 days away from the start of the Madison farmer’s market, and I’m getting giddy with anticipation.
There is nothing that exemplifies Madison life more that a Saturday spent picking vegetables out of vendor’s overflowing bins, sampling Wisconsin’s famous cheese, and biking home with a backpack of groceries overflowing.
With memories of last year’s bounty still fresh in mind, the season’s first farmer’s market can leave something to be desired. The selection, while lacking nothing in quality, is still minimal. But we’ll see plenty of mushrooms, spinach, granola, and cheese.
So I thought I’d start you out with a cheese and mushroom recipe, so you can put your first week’s market purchases to good use. See if you can pick up some shallots and garlic. Get them sizzling in some butter and olive oil to start.
Then add those farmer’s market mushrooms and let them get that irresistible deep brown color.
The cheese comes in next. Whisk it together with some milk and eggs.
And pour it in your tart shell. Forty minutes in the oven and you have a perfect spring meal, served hot or cold.
- 1¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 large shallots, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 20 ounces cremini or brown mushrooms, sliced thin
- 4-6 ounces wild mushrooms (I used shiitake)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated
- In a food processor, combine four and salt. Add in butter and pulse until the butter is in very small pieces. Add in egg and pulse until dough clumps together. Remove from machine and knead any straggling pieces of dough together.
- On a floured surface, roll out dough to a 12 inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9 inch tart pan. Press dough into sides and bottom and remove extra dough that hangs over the sides.
- Transfer tart pan to freezer for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375.
- Pre-bake crust for 15 minutes. It will continue baking with the filling, but pre-baking will ensure it doesn't get soggy later on.
- Reduce oven to 350.
- Heat a large saute pan or wok over medium heat. Add oil and butter. Stir in shallots and stir for about 2-3 minutes, until they are soft.
- Add in garlic and continue to cook for an additional minute.
- Add in mushrooms and thyme, stirring constantly to make sure mushrooms on top get rotated to the bottom. Cook for about 10 minutes, making sure that mushrooms release their liquid and then it evaporates. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mascarpone and milk. Once smooth, add in eggs. Stir in the cheese, then combine with the mushroom mixture.
- Pour filling into pre-baked tart crust and bake for 35-40 minutes. The filling will puff up and become golden brown.
- Let tart cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.
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