Mushroom Tarts with Spinach and an Egg.

This dish started as an experiment. I found a recipe for a veggie sausage roll and presented it to the test kitchen. They turned their nose up at it. Then I said I wanted to make it for my birthday, so the kitchen (that would be my husband) could not say no. 

I was shocked by how delicious it turned out. Don’t be freaked out by the addition of almond butter. It complements the soy sauce and mushroom flavors and gives a nice smooth roundness to the dish. 

This breakfast genius served two purposes: using up leftovers from the mushroom filling and working with a mistaken purchase of puff pastry cups. As Nigella Lawson says, “I may be extravagant but I’m never wasteful.” 

INGREDIENTS

Mushroom Tarts

• 1/4 cup farro

• 6 tablespoons olive oil 

• 2 tablespoons of butter

• splash of white wine or cider vinegar

• 1 pound mixed mushrooms, diced

• 2 leeks

• 1 cup fennel, diced

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated

• 1 teaspoon tomato paste

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1/2 cup creamy almond butter

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 package frozen puff pastry shells

INSTRUCTIONS

PREP
Life is easier when your chopping is done first. Go through your mushrooms and divide the stems from the caps. Chop both up finely. Move on to chopping your leek and fennel bulb. Grab a microplane and grate the cloves of garlic. Take the leaves off your cleaned parsley and chop. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

MAKE
Cook farro: bring one cup of water to boil. Add salt, then add farro. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain water and drizzle with olive oil and splash of vinegar. Stir to combine and let farro cool in a large bowl.

Cook the filling: in a sauté pan heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of butter on high. Once heated and butter is bubbling, add chopped mushroom stems. I don’t like things to go to waste and the stems require a little more cooking time. Cook for 4 minutes. Add chopped mushroom tops. You want to get a nice sear on the mushrooms so don’t stir them too much. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Lower heat to medium. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the leeks and fennel. Cook 10 minutes until fennel has softened. Add thyme, garlic, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and red pepper flake. Stir to combine and cook for another 2 minutes. Add soy sauce which will deglaze the pan. Take pan off the heat and let mixture cool for 5 minutes. 

Combine cooled farro, mushroom mixture, and almond butter in large bowl. Stir well until combined. 

BAKE
Prepare and bake frozen puff pastry shells per package directions. 

Once shells have browned and cooled slightly, fill with mushroom / farro mixture. 

ON THE SIDE

Sautéed Spinach
Wash and clean 2 bunches of spinach. Chop 1 small onion and sauté in olive oil and butter for 3 minutes. Add one clove minced garlic and red pepper flake, cooking for 1 minute. Toss in the spinach one handful at a time (it will cook down quickly.) Once all spinach is in the pan, add salt, pepper, and a dusting of nutmeg. Stir to mix all flavors together.  

Fried Egg
Heat a knob of butter in a pan on low. Add eggs carefully to pan. Cook on low for 5 minutes with a lid. When done, top with salt and pepper. 

SOUNDTRACK
Set the breakfast mood with some Peggy Lee.