My story is one you’ve probably heard before. Young Jewish woman is pre-med in college, ends up in law school after a chemistry accident. After a few years of glamorous environmental law, she was off to Geneva and finds herself at the UN listening to terrorists discuss human rights. How to top that? Pastry school in Paris was the obvious choice. A catering business in Geneva, taught a few cooking classes in French and then came back and started a cooking school in the D.C. area. Oh yeah, had four kids at some point. Now I travel the country teaching kosher cooking and baking and proving that Kosher food can be beautiful, elegant and delicious. Along the way, I set out to start a kosher baking revolution. Join me.
Mushroom Tart (Pareve)
serves 8
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large shallots, halved and sliced
½ pound shitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
8 oz. white button mushrooms, halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until clear, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned and soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Remove from heat and add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Place the puff pastry on a piece of parchment sprinkled with flour. Roll out the pastry a little larger than your 8 inch tart pan. Place your hand under the parchment and turn the pastry into the pan, pressing into the corners. Remove the parchment. Trim the excess dough. Place the mushroom mixture into the pastry. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the sides of the pastry are golden. Serve warm.