olive oil for cooking

1 small onion, chopped

3 cups coarsely chopped mushroom

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 egg yolk

1 cup light cream

 salt and pepper

Ingredients for the <R>pastry:

2 cups flour

pinch salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced (Smart Balance buttery spread can be substituted)

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese (optional)

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons water

Methods:

1.  To make the filling, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, and add the onions.  Cook until wilted before adding the mushrooms.  Saut? the mushrooms until brown, then stir in the celery and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

2.  To make the short crust pastry, sift the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl.  Add the butter, then rub with both hands until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.  Stir in the parmesan cheese, then bind the pastry with the  egg and water to make a firm dough.  Wrap the pastry dough in a plastic wrap and chill for 45 minutes.

3.  Preheat the oven to 325º F.  Grease three 12-hole mini muffin tins.  On a light floured surface, roll out the pastry to a thickness of 1/8” and refrigerate for 5 minutes.  Use a 2 3/4” plain round cutter to cut out 30 rounds from the pastry.  Press the rounds into the muffin tins, pressing along the bottoms so the dough  extends a little bit above the edge of the tins.  Refrigerate the lined tins for about 10 minutes.  Lightly prick the base of the pastry with a fork and bake blind for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pastry colors slightly (see Chef’s Tips).  Remove the beans and  paper and bake the pastry for 2-3 minutes more or until golden brown.  Leave the tartlets for 5 minutes to cool.  Increase the oven temperature to 375º F.

4.  Whisk the egg, egg yolk and cream, and season with salt and pepper.  Fill each tartlet tin with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the filling, then carefully pour in the cream mixture.  Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the filling is set and firm.  Remove the tartlets from the tins while still warm.  If they stick, loosen the tartlets carefully with the tip of a small knife.  Serve warm.

Chef’s tips:

Baking blind is baking the pastry crust before it is filled.  To keep the shape of the pastry crust, the shell is pricked with a fork and lined with parchment or foil and baking beans or rice.  Pricking the pastry allows the steam to escape during baking.  Always bake according to the time specified in the recipe, or until firm, at which point you must remove the beans/rice and paper.

Editor’s note:  Mrs. Evelyn S. Bunoan is Owner/Master Chef, Philippine Oriental Market & Deli (with more than 28 years of  service to the  Filipino-American community) - 3610 Lee Highway, Arlington, Virginia; (703)528-0300;  Master Chef (French cuisine), Le Cordon Bleu, London, UK;  recipe creator, improviser, food stylist, cake designer, and culinary writer;  kitchen-tested and mastered more than 300 recipes, and counting. Host of the cooking show –Evelyn’s Kitchen – Cooking with Friends”.