Smoky Mushroom Tart

Two kinds of mushrooms, two kinds of cheese, and a buttery tart shell blind-baked until golden. This is a savory tart that gets its smoky depth from smoked mozzarella laid across the bottom, then piled with garlic-oregano sauteed mushrooms, grated Asiago, and walnut pieces.

The shiitake mushrooms are the flavor backbone. Their meaty, woodsy character holds up next to the smoked mozzarella, while the regular button mushrooms add bulk and a milder earthiness. Together, they create a more complex mushroom flavor than either would alone.

Blind-baking the crust in three stages (weighted, unweighted, then egg-washed) produces a shell that’s crisp all the way through. The egg white brushed on and baked for one final minute seals the surface so the mushroom juices and melting cheese don’t soak through and make the bottom soggy.

Cooking the mushrooms until the liquid fully evaporates is critical. Wet mushrooms release steam during the final bake and turn the tart into a puddle. You want them golden and dry before they go in.

Pro Tips

• Discard the shiitake stems. They’re too tough and woody to eat, even after cooking. Only the caps go into the saute.
• Cool the mushroom mixture to room temperature before assembling. Hot filling on raw mozzarella melts the cheese prematurely and makes layering messy.
• Let the tart cool 5 minutes before removing the outer ring. This gives the cheese time to set so slices hold together.

Variations

• Add a handful of fresh spinach between the mozzarella and mushroom layers for color and an earthy green note.
• Use Gruyere instead of smoked mozzarella for a nuttier, less smoky version.
• Swap walnuts for toasted pine nuts for a more Italian flavor profile.