Mushroom & Taleggio Pie

I’ve been looking for an opportunity to use this box of puff pastry that I bought at Surfas-the restaurant supply store. Since it was sort of pricey I was hoping that it would be a step above the Pepperidge Farm brand that I usually pick up at the grocery store. I was cleaning up some files on my computer when I came across what looked like would be the perfect recipe to put the pastry to the test.

I made this as an appetizer to serve with a little champagne, but it would make a great light lunch paired with a mixed green salad with a mustardy vinaigrette. You can prepare this right before your guests arrive and then pop it in the oven as you’re pouring drinks. The mushrooms can be sautéed earlier in the day and all you’ll need to do is slice the cheese and assemble the pie.

Speaking of the cheese-do try to get taleggio if you can. Hopefully you have an Italian market nearby and they should carry taleggio. If you haven’t had it before I’m sure you’ll  love it. Taleggio is a semi-soft cheese and at first you will notice its strong aroma, but the flavor is actually quite mild and it’s a great cheese for melting. If you can’t find taleggio, Italian fontina is a good substitute.

As for the pastry-the Dufour brand- was definitely a step up from Pepperidge Farm. It puffed up quite nicely and was wonderfully flaky. I had some taleggio leftover so a few days later I made a another version. I added caramelized onions and assembled it open faced like a crostata-just as good!

Mushroom & Taleggio Cheese Pie

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 sheet puff pastry
Arugula-a good handful
1/2 pound Taleggio, sliced
1 egg, beaten

Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened. Reduce the heat, add the garlic and thyme leaves. Season with pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Take off the heat & leave to cool.

Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface into a rectangular shape. Try to make it as long as you can so that you have enough space to spread the filling quite thinly. Scatter the arugula  over 1 half of the pastry, then top with the mushrooms and sliced Taleggio. Brush the pastry edges with egg and fold the pastry in half over the filling, pressing to seal.

Put on a baking sheet and prick the pastry with a fork.  Set the pie aside to rest while you preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush the the pastry with the egg wash and decorate as you wish. Make a few slashes in the top before putting it in the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes, until golden. Serve hot!