Serves 6 - 8
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
- 300g plain flour
- 150g organic butter
- Good pinch of salt
- About 150ml iced water
For the filling
- 200g firm chestnut mushrooms
- 30g dried porcini
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 150g pancetta, cut into lardons
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- A knob of butter
- 6–8 sprigs of thyme
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 375ml organic double cream
- 2 whole Stonegate organic eggs
- 2 Stonegate organic egg yolks
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
First, make the shortcrust pastry. Pulse the flour, butter and salt in a food processor to the consistency of breadcrumbs. With the motor running, steadily add the iced water, stopping as soon as the dough comes together. Remove the dough, knead it a couple of times, then wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan.
Roll the chilled dough into a thin round large enough to line a 24cm loose-bottomed tart tin, leaving some pastry overhanging the edge. Prick the base, then line the pastry with baking parchment and baking beans. Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans and return the tart case to the oven for a further 5 minutes, or until the base is dry and lightly coloured. You can trim away any overhanging pastry or leave it, like I do.
Meanwhile, put the dried porcini into a small bowl and pour over just enough boiling water to cover them. Leave them to rehydrate.
Set a large, heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and, when it’s hot, add the pancetta. Fry, stirring regularly, until it’s starting to crisp around the edges. Add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring regularly.
Lift the pancetta and onion into a bowl. Return the pan to the heat and add the butter. Lift the rehydrated porcini from their soaking liquor, reserving the liquor, and add them to the pan with the fresh mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 4–5 minutes. Add half the thyme leaves and the chopped parsley, then tumble the mushrooms together with the pancetta and onion.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the whole eggs and egg yolks with the cream and about 150ml of the reserved porcini soaking liquor. Season with salt and pepper.
Fill the tart case with the mushroom and pancetta mixture, but don’t press it down. Pour over the custard, gently nestling everything down into it, then scatter over the remaining thyme leaves.
Place the tart in the oven and cook for 30–35 minutes, or until it has a mottled golden top and is slightly raised.
Allow the tart to rest for 20 minutes before eating.
