CHEESE TART WITH MUSHROOM CRUST   
  Ingredients :
    Crust:
    14 oz (400g) mushrooms, coarsely chopped
    ¼ cup onion, finely chopped
    4 tablespoons butter
    ½ cup dry bread crumbs
    3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese or similar
    Salt
    Pepper

    Filling:
    8 oz (220 g) cream cheese, room temperature
    ½ teaspoon fresh or dry thyme
    ½ teaspoon fresh or dry tarragon
    ½ cup coarsely shredded Gruyere cheese or similar
    4 eggs
    Drops of Tabasco
    1 cup ham, diced
    1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

  Preparation:
Crust:
Melt 3 ½ tablespoons in a skillet and add chopped onions. Cook for 2 minutes, add mushrooms and cook until tender. Add bread crumbs and combine. Stir in parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cool.

Butter bottom and sides or a 10 inch (25 cm) pie pan with the remaining butter. Press mushroom mixture into pan on bottom and sides.

Filling:
Sprinkle Gruyere cheese over mushroom crust.
Blend cream cheese, eggs and Tabasco in the blender until creamy. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in diced ham and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour mixture over shredded Gruyere cheese. Bake in preheated moderate oven to 350ºF (180ºC) until the center is set.
Garnish with chopped parsley.
 
        6 – 8 servings
       
 
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