pat's Recipe

Rustic Mushroom Tart

Category: Tarts

3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup soft goat cheese, (2 ounces)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups mixed wild mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 large leek, white part only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced and thoroughly washed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white wine
10 sheets (14 x 18) or 20 sheets (9 x 14) thawed phyllo dough
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

Preparation
1. Combine ricotta, goat cheese, rosemary and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, leek and salt and cook, stirring, until the leek starts to soften and the mushrooms release their juices, about 3 minutes. Pour in wine and simmer until the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet (approximately 12" x 17") with parchment paper. Lay one large sheet of phyllo on the prepared pan. (If using the smaller size, slightly overlap two sheets to form a rectangle.) Keep the remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap or wax paper and a damp kitchen towel.

4. Lightly coat the phyllo with oil using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon breadcrumbs. Repeat this step, layering the remaining phyllo on top. Carefully roll about 3/4 inch of each side toward the center to form the outer rim of the tart.

5. Spread the reserved cheese mixture evenly over the phyllo. Top with the reserved mushroom mixture.

6. Bake the tart until the crust is brown and crispy, 25-30 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. To serve, lift the parchment paper and slide the tart onto a cutting board or large platter. Serve warm.
serves 12

note:Don not let phyllo doughs fussy reputation put you off: Our method of brushing olive oil and sprinkling breadcrumbs between the layers makes this tart quite simple to assemble. It can be served as a main course or cut into smaller pieces and enjoyed as an appetizer. Thaw frozen phyllo (in its package) at room temperature for 2 hours or in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight before preparing the recipe.