Crostata di Funghi

Mushroom Tart

Mushroom-Crostata-640x402-3684_855

For those of you out there, and I know you are there, who are not serving turkey this Thanksgiving, but rather are going whole hog and serving ham, let me recommend this crostata as an accompaniment or a starter. Cremini are affordable, and they are in markets everywhere. Their meaty taste and hearty texture are perfect Fall fare. And if you want to really splurge – it’s Porcini season in Piemonte, and the little piglets (porcini – piglet in Italian) have made the trek to the U.S. Substitute an ounce or two for some of the cremini. You will be rewarded with a heady mushroom perfume and extravagant taste. Got Nepitella? This is the place to use it. A cross between mint and oregano, the herb grows wild all over Italy and has a natural affinity for mushrooms. Substitute a tablespoon or two of Nepitella leaves for an equal amount of Italian parsley. Click here for more on Nepitella.

No matter what funghi (funghi – mushrooms in Italian) you select – porcini, cremini or even cultivated white button mushrooms, this is simple to put together. The all butter crust is no hassle, easy to roll out, and you can prepare and freeze it days ahead already fitted into its tart pan. I have called for Italy’s finely milled 00 (doppio zero) flour. If you have none, substitute American all-purpose flour.

So if you too have pardoned a turkey this year and plan to serve ham, then why not buck tradition completely and go foreign? With ingredients from no fewer than five Italian regions, this will whet your guests’ appetites and please their palates. Cast off tradition this year, and consider this crostata.

Mushroom-Crostata-1600x640-01


Crostata di Funghi

makes 1 nine inch crostata

Pastry
1 1/2 cups 00 flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut in 16 pieces
3 tablespoons ice water

Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 shallots, minced
14 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry Marsala
1/2 cup ½ & ½
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs
3/4 cup grated Italian Fontina cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano
grated teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
kosher salt and pepper

Make pastry:
Place flour and salt in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel knife. Pulse to combine. Drop butter over flour and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor running add 3 tablespoons ice water. Process until mixture clumps. Add a bit more water if necessary. Remove dough from processor. Form into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes. Roll dough on lightly floured board to 1/8 inch thickness. Ease dough into 9 inch tart pan without stretching it. Place in freezer 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to center position. Place tart pan on baking sheet. Place a piece of non-stick foil over surface and up against sides of pastry. Leave enough foil so that you can lift it out. Fill with dried beans. Blind bake 20 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and remove foil and beans.

Make filling:
Maintain oven at 375 degrees F. Melt butter and oil in 12 inch saute pan. Add shallots and 1/2 teaspoon salt and saute over medium low heat until translucent, about 8 minutes, being careful not to brown them. Increase heat to medium-high and add mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, turning to coat. Saute until mushrooms soften and release liquid, about 8 minutes. When liquid has evaporated, add Marsala. Decrease heat to medium-low and continue sauteing until almost dry, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add 1/4 teaspoon pepper and Italian parsley. Set aside.

Make custard filling by combining ½ & ½, cream, eggs and 1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg and kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl.

Remove tart pan from freezer and place on sheet pan. Spread mushroom mixture over bottom of pastry. Distribute Italian Fontina over mushroom mixture. Slowly pour custard mixture into shell, filling any open spaces. Top with grated Parmigiano. Bake 30 minutes on center rack until set. Remove to rack. Cool 15 minutes prior to service.


Note: You can click on any picture for a larger image, and to see a slide show!

I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

35 Comments

  1. Ping from Cat Braithwaite:

    Yummmm! I’ve been trying to figure out what mushroom dish to include this year, this may just have to be it! :-9

  2. Ping from Paola:

    Love this crostata Adri:)

  3. Ping from Ciao Chow Linda:

    Adri – This looks too good to share with a ham or a turkey. I’m tucking this away to serve as a main course in the future – with a salad on the side.

  4. Ping from Mette (@ItalianNotes):

    I’ve just returned from Piedmont where there are truffles and mushrooms all over. This recipe may be just what I need to tide me over the worst withdrawal symptoms.

  5. Ping from xierdaxinxi:

    Your article is outstanding, every aspect, I love it. Thank you.

  6. Ping from simona:

    Ciao Adri! Ho visto il tuo sito sul blog di Chiara-la voglia matta! Mi fa molto piacere conoscerti…sei bravissima!!! Questa crostata ai funghi è una favola!!!:) buona giornata!
    Simo

  7. Ping from Ely:

    Vengo dal blog di Chiara e ti faccio i miei più grandi complimenti per il tuo bellissimo blog! Questa torta è stupenda, saporita e autunnale. Bravissima! Un bacione! 😀

  8. Ping from I sognatori di Cucina e nuvole:

    Ciao, ho trovato il tuo blog grazie ad un’amica…è davvero bello! Verrò a trovarti spesso…
    Ale dalla Puglia!

  9. Ping from Ketty Valenti:

    Ciao arrivo dal blog di Chiara \”la voglia matta\”,sono contenta di averti trovato mi piace tenere questo ponte dall\’Italia all\’America,complimenti per il blog,le tue realizzazioni e per l\’amore che ti unisce all\’Italia.baci
    Zagara & Cedro

  10. Ping from cristina:

    Ciao Adri,
    è un piacere conoscerti, sono una fodblogger da pochissimo, sono nata e vivo a Milano.
    Con calma, ora devo andare al lavoro, guarderò il tuo blog, che mi piace molto.
    Arrivo tramite il blog di Chiara.
    A prestissimo e tanti complimenti.
    Cri

  11. Ping from tiziana:

    piatto semplicemente fantasticoooooo! bravissima
    ho aggiunto il tuo blog tra i miei preferiti!!!!!!
    ciao alla prossima!
    tiziana

  12. Ping from tiziana:

    fantastico! piatto semplicemente gustosissimo
    ciao e alla prossima
    tiziana

  13. Ping from Claudia:

    Ho visto questa crostata da Chiara e son subito corsa qui da te a conoscerti.. Complimenti per il tuo blog.. e le tue foto.. sono magnifiche!!! 🙂 buona giornata

  14. Ping from vickyart:

    crostata super deliziosa!! adoro i funghi! ciao piacere di conoscerti!

  15. Ping from Chiara:

    Cara Adri, sono veramente felice che le mie amiche siano passate a conoscere il tuo splendido blog. Il tuo impegno negli Stati Uniti per far conoscere la cucina italiana tradizionale è molto lodevole e meritava di essere ancor più conosciuto qui in Italia,mi ha fatto un enorme piacere ospitarti nel mio blog, un abbraccio grande!

  16. Ping from rita cooks italian:

    Ciao, sono Rita e vengo dal Blog di Chiara! Io sono nata in Italia ma vivo a Londra (UK), il mio papa e’ abbruzzese e torno in Abruzzo spesso. Conosco molte ricette di quella parte d’Italia (la mia citta’ natale e’ Roma). Mi piace la tua crostata di funghi e’ sempre bello per feste come il Thanksgiving proporre piatti alternativi. In Italia e’ difficile spezzare le tradizioni culinarie..per cui a Natale pesce alla vigilia e pasta e arrosto il giono di Natale!!! C I A O

  17. Ping from Bruna Cipriani:

    Complimenti Adri per questa bella preparazione e per il tuo blog che ho conosciuto tramite Chiara, lo metto tra i miei preferiti così potrò vedere subito quanto pubblichi.
    Anche i miei nonni paterni avevano radici abruzzesi, purtroppo non li ho conosciuti e mi mancano alcune tradizioni che conoscerò attraverso te!
    Un abbraccio

  18. Ping from Mila:

    Complimenti per il tuo blog italo/americano!!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment moderation is enabled. Your comment may take some time to appear.

Content Protected