Equipment
Ingredients
Pastry Crust
- 200 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 115 g unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 45 ml ice water, chilled with ice cubes removed
Mushroom Filling
- 500 g cremini mushrooms, brushed clean, trimmed stems, sliced 5 mm thick
- 2 shallot, peeled and finely diced
- 3 garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 4 g fresh thyme leaves, stemmed and finely chopped
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Custard and Cheese
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 60 ml whole milk
- 75 g parmesan cheese, finely grated, vegetarian microbial rennet preferred
- ½ g ground nutmeg, freshly grated
- 2 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 503 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 33 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 652 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 20 g
- Potassium
- 471 mg
- Calcium
- 212 mg
- Iron
- 2.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 23 mg
- Phosphorus
- 211 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 332 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Water
- 72 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the all-purpose flour, fine sea salt, and chilled cubed butter into the bowl of a food processor, then pulse 8 to 10 times until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized butter chunks remaining.
Drizzle the ice water evenly over the flour mixture and pulse in short 1-second bursts until the dough begins to clump together into moist curds.
Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, shape it into a flat 15 cm disc, seal tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) with a rack set in the center position.
Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured work surface using a rolling pin into a 30 cm round approximately 3 mm thick.
Transfer the rolled dough into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, press gently into the corners and fluted sides, trim the top edge flush with the pan rim, and dock the bottom surface evenly with a fork.
Line the interior of the tart shell with parchment paper, fill to the top with pie weights, and place the pan into the freezer for 15 minutes.
Set the weighted tart pan onto a baking sheet and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 20 minutes until the edges are set and light golden.
Carefully lift out the parchment paper and pie weights, return the uncovered crust to the 190°C (375°F) oven, and bake for 8 minutes until the base is dry and matte.
Melt the unsalted butter with the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat until the butter foam subsides.
Add the sliced cremini mushrooms to the skillet in an even layer and sauté without stirring for 4 minutes, then stir occasionally for 6 minutes more until all released liquid evaporates and mushrooms turn deep mahogany brown.
Add the diced shallots, minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and black pepper to the skillet, then sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes until the shallots are soft and fragrant.
Transfer the cooked mushroom mixture onto a wide plate and allow it to cool for 10 minutes at room temperature.
Whisk the room temperature eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, fine sea salt, and ground nutmeg in a mixing bowl until completely combined and smooth.
Scatter 40 grams of the finely grated Parmesan cheese evenly across the bottom of the prebaked tart shell to form a protective flavor seal.
Distribute the cooled mushroom and shallot mixture evenly over the bottom layer of Parmesan cheese.
Slowly pour the egg and cream custard over the mushrooms, then sprinkle the remaining 35 grams of finely grated Parmesan cheese across the top surface.
Bake the assembled tart at 175°C (350°F) for 32 minutes until the custard is set, puffed at the edges with a very faint center wobble, and an instant-read digital thermometer inserted into the middle reads at least 71°C (160°F).
Transfer the tart to a wire cooling rack and rest for 20 minutes to allow the custard matrix to fully set, then release and remove the outer fluted ring.
Transfer the tart to a cutting board, slice into 6 equal wedges using a sharp chef knife, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Chef's Notes
- Cremini mushrooms contain roughly 90 percent water. Sautéing them undisturbed over high heat until their moisture completely evaporates is critical for deep Maillard flavor and preventing a soggy crust.
- Layering finely grated Parmesan directly on the prebaked pastry base acts as an edible barrier that repels moisture from the custard during the final bake.
- Use butter that is genuinely cold, right from the refrigerator, to preserve distinct fat packets within the dough. These expand into flaky layers as steam forms in the oven.
- This tart can be baked completely 24 hours ahead, chilled overnight, and served either at room temperature or reheated at 175°C (350°F) to restore crust crispness.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cool completely on a wire rack within two hours of baking before transferring to an airtight container or wrapping tightly in foil.
Freezer: 2 months — Wrap the fully baked and chilled tart or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then seal in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Reheating: Reheat uncovered in an oven preheated to 175°C (350°F) for 15 to 20 minutes (or 25 to 30 minutes from frozen) until warmed through and an internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F) is reached.
Troubleshooting
Soggy bottom crust
Cause: The crust was underbaked during blind baking or mushrooms retained excess moisture before assembly
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fully baked; slide the tart onto the bottom rack of an oven at 190°C (375°F) for 6 to 8 minutes to crisp the base
Prevention: Bake crust until completely matte and dry, and sauté cremini mushrooms until all water has completely evaporated from the skillet
Tart edges shrank down the fluted pan sides during baking
Cause: The pastry dough was stretched into the pan rather than pressed, or was insufficiently chilled prior to blind baking
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Lift and gently settle dough into pan corners without stretching, and freeze the lined shell for 15 minutes before baking
Custard cracked or weeped moisture
Cause: The tart was overbaked past the egg protein coagulation point
Fix: Chill the tart completely in the refrigerator to reabsorb moisture and firm up the custard before serving
Prevention: Check tart doneness at 28 minutes and remove as soon as internal temperature reaches 71°C (160°F)
Cultural Context
Originating in French savory baking traditions alongside quiches and tourtes, savory vegetable tarts emphasize seasonal market harvests encased in crisp pastry shells. Cremini mushrooms and aged hard cheeses celebrate earthy autumn and winter cooking, offering rich umami notes that make the dish a staple for holiday luncheons and seasonal gatherings.
