From “Living and Eating,” by John Pawson and Annie Bell. The authors write, “This is something like a softly set quiche with a thin shell of toasted Parmesan in lieu of pastry, and a wild mushroom filling.” Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 3/4 pounds mixed and cultivated mushrooms, trimmed and finely sliced
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 medium eggs, preferably organic, plus 1 egg yolk
5 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use a tablespoon of the butter to grease an 8-inch springform pan and dust it with some of the Parmesan.
You will need to cook the mushrooms in four batches. Heat a quarter of the butter with a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add a quarter of the shallots and once they soften, add a quarter of the mushrooms. Fry, stirring frequently, until they soften and start to color, seasoning toward the end. Transfer to a bowl and cook the remainder in the same way. Once all the mushrooms are cooked, transfer half of them to a food processor and pulse to a textured puree. Combine with the other mushrooms in a large bowl. Stir in the cream, chopped parsley, beaten eggs, half the Parmesan, and some seasoning.
Set the prepared pan on a baking tray. Turn this mixture into the pan, scatter over the remaining Parmesan, and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden on the surface and set. The torte is best about 10 minutes out of the oven, though it can also be eaten at room temperature. Run a knife around the side of the pan and remove it. Serve the torte cut in wedges.
