Mushroom and Egg Tarts

Ingredients to make 6

• For the Pastry

• 75g

  Soft butter
• 75g

  Plain flour
• 40g

  Parmesan, grated
• For the Filling

• 25g

  Dried porcini mushrooms
• 75g

  Butter
• 175g

  Chestnut mushrooms
• 175g

  Open mushrooms
• 6

  Eggs
• 2

  Small red onions, finely chopped
• 2

  Garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp

  Parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp

  Lemon juice
• -

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Approximate Times

• Preparation :

  Less than 30 minutes
• Cooking :

  1 hour

Method

1. Place the porcini in a bowl, pour 200ml boiling water over them. Set aside and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
2. Now make the pastry. This can be done in a processor or by rubbing the butter into the flour and stirring in the grated parmesan and sufficient water (approximately 3 tablespoons) to mix to a soft but firm dough. Place the dough in a plastic bag and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. The pastry will need a little more water than usual as the cheese will absorb some of it.
3. For the filling heat 50g of butter in a frying pan, add the onions and garlic and fry for 15 minutes or until they are soft and almost transparent. Finely chop the chestnut and open mushrooms. When the porchini have had their 30 minutes' soaking, place a sieve over the bowl and drain them into it, pressing to release the moisture. Reserve this liquid, then chop the porcini finely and transfer them with the other mushrooms to the pan containing the onions. Add the remaining 25g of butter, season  and cook till the juices of the mushrooms run, then add the reserved liquid, lemon juice and parsley. Raise the heat slightly and cook the mushrooms without a lid for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until all the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is of a spreadable consistancy.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
5. Now roll out the pastry to a thickness of 3mm and cut out six rounds, re-rolling the pastry as necessary. Grease 6 x 10cm tins with a little melted butter and line each tin with the pastry, pushing it down from the top so the pastry will not shrink while cooking. Trim any surplus pastry from around the top and prick each base with a fork. Return them to the fridge for a few minutes until the oven is up to temperature. Place the tins on a solid baking sheet and bake on the middle shelf for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp.
6. Remove the from the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4.
7. Divide the filling between the tarts, making a well in the centre with the back of a spoon, then break an egg into a saucer, slip it into the tart and scatter a little parmesan cheese over the top. Repeat ths process with the other five and return them to the oven for 12-15 minutes until they are just set and the yolks are still soft and creamy. Serve immeadiately as the eggs will continue to cook.