I decided to try this recipe from Cook's Illustrated for dinner tonight. This tart is a free-form savory tart. The pastry was sturdy and yet flaky and the filling was deliciously satisfying. The crust did take a couple of hours to make with a couple of chilling times of at least 45 minutes. I baked it on a piece of parchment paper directly on my pizza stone which made the bottom of the crust nice and crispy. This dinner was not a quick process since it took about 3 hours from start to finish, however none of it was particularly difficult and well worth the effort.
Mushroom and Leek Tart with Gorgonzola
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Dough:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
7 tablespoons ice water
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Filling:
3/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced thin
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced 1/2 inch thick and washed thoroughly (3 cups)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
For the Dough:
Process flours, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, 2 to 3 pulses. Add butter and pulse until it forms pea-size pieces, about 10 pulses. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl.
Sprinkle water and vinegar over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix until loose, shaggy mass forms with some dry flour remaining (do not overwork). Transfer mixture to center of large sheet of plastic wrap, press gently into rough 4-inch square, and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface. Roll into 11 by 8-inch rectangle with short side of rectangle parallel to edge of work surface. Using bench scraper, bring bottom third of dough up, then fold upper third over it, folding like business letter into 8 by 4-inch rectangle. Turn dough 90 degrees counterclockwise. Roll out dough again into 11 by 8-inch rectangle and fold into thirds again. Turn dough 90 degrees counterclockwise and repeat rolling and folding into thirds. After last fold, fold dough in half to create 4-inch square. Press top of dough gently to seal. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
For the Filling:
Saute mushrooms in skillet in 1 tablespoon olive oil until softened and liquid is evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. In same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add leeks and thyme, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are tender and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl with mushrooms. Stir in creme fraiche and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Adjust oven rack to lower middle position, place pizza stone on oven rack and heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. (Trim edges as needed to form rough circle.) Transfer dough to parchment paper. With tip of paring knife, cut five 1/4-inch circles in dough (one at center and four evenly spaced midway from center to edge of dough). Cutting a few small holes in the dough prevents it from lifting off the pan as it bakes. Brush top of dough with 1 teaspoon oil.
Spread half of filling evenly over dough, leaving 2-inch border around edge. sprinkle with half of Gorgonzola, cover with remaining filling, and top with remaining Gorgonzola. Drizzle remaining 1 teaspoon oil over filling. Grasp 1 edge of dough and fold up outer 2 inches over filling.Repeat around circumference of tart, overlapping dough every 2 to 3 inches; gently pinch pleated dough to secure but do not press dough into filling. Brush dough with egg and sprinkle evenly with kosher salt.
Lower oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and filling is beginning to brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool tart on wire rack for 10 minutes. Move tart to cutting board. Sprinkle with parsley, cut into wedges, and serve.
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