Cheese, Onion, Porcini and Spinach Pie
Total Cooking Time: Approximately 1 hour all in
Serves: 4
Vegetarian: Yes
You will need a 30x20cm (12 x 8inch) baking tray
Ingredients:
- 600g or slightly over (about 6) small firm onions
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 25g packet Dried Porcini Mushrooms
- 375g – 425g (this depends on brand and supermarket) packet of ready rolled puff pastry
- 180-200g bag of spinach
- 250g tub of cream cheese or mascarpone
- Salt and sugar
How to cook it:
- Preheat your oven to 200c/Fan180c/Gas 7 Top shelf
- Peel the onions, cut them in half then slice them thinly
- Put the sliced onions into a shallow pan that you have a tight fitting lid for, add the oil, a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of sugar
- Cover the pan, place over a medium heat and sweat the onions for about 10 minutes until soft and creamy
- While the onions sweat, put the dried Porcini into a small bowl, pour hot water over the top and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain the Porcini and save the stock for another recipe such as a risotto, pasta sauce or soup. Slice the Porcini thinly and set aside
- Take the lid off the onions, turn up the heat and stand over them, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes until they are a light caramel colour
- Stir in the sliced Porcini and then add the spinach, stir for 30 seconds, just enough for the spinach to begin to wilt
- Remove from the heat then stir in half of the cream cheese
- Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper
- Line your baking tray with lightly oiled greaseproof paper. Lay the pastry over the top and then turn the excess pastry around the outside inward to make a small lip
- Spread the Porcini mixture over the top of the pastry inside the lip at the edge
- Dot the remaining cream cheese over the top and then for bake for 25-30 minutes in the pre-heated oven until crisp and golden
Prep Ahead: The tart can be cooked in advance, left to cool and then reheated in 200c/Gas 6 for 3-4 minutes. I often double the onion mixture, up to the point of adding the spinach and cream cheese and then freeze half for another tart or to serve with beef or even as a base for gravy with sausages.
KIDS CORNER
This was a hit; the only thing I would say for the younger ones is to chop the onions, Porcini and spinach into smaller pieces. The Porcini, onion, cheese and spinach mixture makes a great puree to freeze for the tiny and toothless too. Just mix with a little mashed potato or Polenta to serve.
