When we find two pie crusts in our freezer, we make Savory Pie, as it is our particular idiom. With the first crust, we made Rancher’s Pie and filled it with chili. For the second, we decided to borrow upon a few concepts we’ve made in the past (and the many pounds of mushrooms my wife’s grandpa gave us) to build a mushroomy rendition!
The idea for a mushroom based pie came from a winter vacation my wife and I took in Switzerland in 2019 (oh, how we miss pre-COVID vacations). En route to the mountains for skiing and snowshoeing, we spent our first night in Montreaux. There, we took in the sights of Lake Geneva, visited the large outdoor Christmas Market, enjoyed one phenomenal crepe (and one that had a little too much liquor for us to properly enjoy), found a small artisan pizza place, and did a tasting at an awesome wine cave. We also visited Chateau de Chillon whereupon we were treated to the musical delights of a hurdy gurdy and some cool reenactments! I tell you all of this as the buildup to the fact that it was at that particular castle where we had our first savory mushroom pie! It was to die for, and we wound up recreating it a night or two later from our next flat in Zermatt (Swiss Mushroom and Cauliflower Pie).
We have also ventured into the world of Duxelles for various wellingtons, and each time we do, we think to ourselves that we want to find new uses for it. This pie is the intersection of these two mushroom concepts. Based on my discerning food critics calling dibs on leftovers for lunch, I think it was a success!
Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 18 oz Cremini or White Button Mushrooms
- 1 Onion
- 4-5 Cloves of Roasted Garlic
- 1 Sprig of Rosemary
- Whole Grain Dijon Mustard
- Alpine Cheese. We used Blumenkase, but Gruyere or Raclette would be great instead.
- 2 Eggs
- Pie Crust (Frozen or Make Your Own!)
- Optional: Prosciutto (will make this non-vegetarian, but will also add an extra dimension)
Method:
- If using frozen pie crust, pull it out of the freezer, and set it on the counter to thaw. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Dice your onions, pluck your rosemary leaves off the stem, and heat a large pan with some butter. When the butter has melted, add your onions and rosemary. Sauté to caramelize.
- As your onions cook, clean your mushrooms (we like wiping with a wet paper towel for this), and cut them into chunks. Then, working in batches, pulse them in your food processor until they are very finely chopped.
- When your mushrooms are all food processed, add them to your onions, and stir to combine. Cook for a little while until most of the liquid cooks off.
- As your mushrooms cook, poke some holes in the bottom of your pie crust with a fork, and then place your pie crust in the oven for about 10 minutes. Then, remove, and set on the counter.
- When your mushrooms are nearly done (water mostly evaporated), mash your roasted garlic in to a paste with a fork, and add it along with your mustard to your mushroom mixture. Cook until your liquid has fully evaporated.
- As your mushrooms finish, layer your prosciutto (if using) in the bottom of your quasi-cooked pie crust.
- When your mushrooms are ready, transfer them to a large bowl.
- Beat your eggs, and fold them into your mushroom mixture, and then scoop everything into your pie crust, and bake for 30 minutes
- As your pie finishes in the oven, slice or shred your cheese, and spread atop to melt.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
