Vege dinner party option: mushroom and blue cheese tart

This is a super simple, very delicious and fancy looking dinner party main for the vegetarians in your life, or perhaps if you just fancy doing something vege. It’s delicious. I actually did it for dinner one Wednesday! If you have pastry in your freezer it couldn’t be simpler. But it’s great if you have veges coming for dinner and aren’t sure what to do. If you left out the cheese you could even satisfy vegans (I think! Just make sure the pastry isn’t made with butter).

The original is from the BBC Good food website (where else?!) http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/333631/onion-walnut-and-mushroom-tarte-tatin and I didn’t change it that much really. Perfect way to use up the bit of blue stilton left over from Christmas slowly getting more and more ‘fragrant’!

Mushroom and blue cheese tart

Serves 4-6 (depending on if its starter or main)

• 4 onions, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200g mushrooms , halved (chestnut ones are good if you have them)
• 2 tsp light brown sugar
• 50g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 100g blue cheese (eg Stilton)
• 1 pack puff pastry, defrost if frozen

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees celsius.
2. Select a medium sized low sided frying pan. Roll out the pastry and cut a circle just wider than the pan (easiest done if you put the pastry on a floured surface and place the pan upside down on the pastry – then just cut around it leaving a 5cm lip)
3. Heat the oil in the pan and add the onion wedges. Cook over a low heat until lightly coloured.
4. Add mushrooms, sugar and salt & pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened, stirring well.
5. Stir through the walnuts and cook for a couple of minutes. Then remove from the heat and crumble over the cheese.
6. Place the pastry over the top of the pan, tucking in the overhanging bit.
7. Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
9. Then place a large plate on top of the pastry and invert the tart, tipping it onto the plate, pastry side underneath.
10. Serve with a green salad and enjoy immediately!

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