Shiitake and Leek Tart

An easy yet impressive-looking tart. Store-bought puff pastry makes throwing this tart together a breeze. Although I do love to make homemade dough, I also use both phyllo and puff pastry dough out of the freezer section. They’re fairly good and, let’s face it, most of us do not have hours each evening to devote to homemade laminated dough. Prebaking the puff pastry with a layer of cheese helps to ensure that you don’t end up with any sogginess.
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Course Appetizer
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package(17.3 oz) puff pastry
  • 1 egg
  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese grated*
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 8 ounces leeks chopped into half moons
  • 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms
  • saltand pepper
  • 5-8 sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped
  • 6 ounces whole milk mozzarella cheese shredded*

Instructions
 

  • *Pre-shredded cheese are coated with anti-caking agents to prevent them from sticking. I recommend freshly grating cheese for a better melt.
  • Thaw puff pastry overnight in refrigerator.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unroll and flatten out pastry. Cut away 1-inch strips from each side of the flattened dough. Layer strips on edges of dough to create a crust. Place on parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Beat egg. Coat each pastry, including crust, with egg wash. Cover each pastry with Parmesan cheese, excluding crust. Poke entire tart with fork, to help dough rise and cook more evenly. Bake for 13 minutes. After 13 minutes, lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes more.
  • While pastry is cooking, heat butter or oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shiitake mushrooms, leeks, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for several minutes, until softened. Turn heat up to high and cook for a few more minutes until mushrooms are beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.
  • Once pastries are finished cooking, remove from oven.
  • Raise oven temperature back to 425 degrees. Let rest a couple of minutes to “deflate” a little bit. Cover each pastry, excluding crust, with shredded mozzarella. Cover mozzarella with leek and mushroom mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, until nicely browned.
  • Let cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Cook’s Note:
There may be one or two sheets of pastry in each package.
I cut each finished tart into 8 pieces.
How many it serves depends on whether it's served as an appetizer or a meal. As an appetizer, it'll serve 8 people, and if it's a meal, 3 to 4.