Wednesday 23 May 2012

Making Mushroom tart with walnut spelt pastry and Birgit's Stone Soup


My sister 'B' came to visit from East Sussex last Thursday evening. Staying over for a 'girlie' (I use the term loosely) day and a couple of nights while A was off on a course in London. The first evening, brother-in-law M treated us all to a delicious early anniversary supper by the river here before heading off home after dropping B off. 


The next day we  drove to Abingdon village  on the way spotting a plant stall in the District Nurse/KHS members' drive  and had to stop and fill up our baskets. We yarn shopped at Masons haberdashers (not the prettiest  website but  really helpful staff a great range of yarns, fabrics and all kinds of interesting crafty things)... B bought yarn for a crochet class she's running, and I bought a dress pattern.  We had green tea/coffee at Throwing Buns  named after an old local tradition and had to have toasted teacakes when we discovered they made them because they reminded us of mum. She would always have a pot of tea and a toasted teacake...Aunt D too, come to think of it.


Back home to forage for stone soup lunch and a rest to reserve our energy for a late night museum grand tour. It's really good fun you can go around the museum by torchlight bumping into shrunken heads and listening to live music. But we got too settled into talking and watching  a couple of episodes of The Edible Garden and the latest Sherlock Holmes film which was very exciting and I highly recommend watching, and decided to stay at home instead.

After supper of Mushroom Tart with Walnut Spelt Pastry,  and Sprouting Broccoli with salad leaves.

I used the Sharpham Park organic spelt flour and made the pastry with the recipe on the packet that you can link to the website for it here.  I adapted the filling omitting the cream, lemon and herbs but using four eggs and two egg yolks. I sauteed the shallots in olive and didn't add any extra butter, doubling the garlic cloves two four and used cheddar and not parmesan cheese...just because it was requested.  

I was a little concerned that the pastry may be very hard.  It is substantial but not too hard. This is a really tasty flan that is delicious hot or cold. I served it with steamed sprouting broccoli and spinach and watercress leaves with a simple balsamic vinegar/ honey/grainy Dijon mustard dressing.

B asked for the recipe so it must be good...!

I was sad to see her go as I dropped her at the train station next morning...just like I had H the week before but we've made exciting plans for the future... and I've got to drop her plants off soon...she couldn't manage to carry them back home...what with all that wool...



8 comments:

  1. The recipe sound yummy Debby and I do have a bag of spelt flour in the fridge! ;0
    I'm glad you had such a nice visit with your sister. I have plans to get together with mine this fall and I can't wait.

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  2. Oh hope you have fun...there's nothing like sisters and I'm really fortunate to have three of the best. Great sisters-in-law too. I just wish that we all lived closer and could catch up for a coffee at a whim or just pop over for a chat...we do text to ask one-another to get a mug of coffee or brew a pot of green tea ready and settle down by the phone for a nice long chat. It's almost as good...but not quite.

    I hope the sun is still shining in your neck of the woods.
    Deb

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  3. oooh really liking the sound of that pastry, I have a friend who can't eat wheat. how does it compare in terms of flakiness/tenderness/taste to a shortcrust pastry?

    also love that you forage for your food. i want to learn to pick for free food too.yup and I mentioned it before, but I need to pick up alys fowler's book.

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    1. Oh sorry Shu Han I answered this ages ago but mustn't have published it! silly me.

      Spelt flour makes very tasty pastry. It is firmer than wheat flour and varies according to the recipe. I've just made some with a different make of spelt flour made at Bacheldre Watermill (you can get from Waitrose) I used butter this time and it was very crumbly...really short pastry. I always use wholemeal but you can get white spelt flour too and I'm sure Dove Farm make gluten free wheat flour that your friend may be able to use...depending on her allergy.

      It's a great book Shu Han. I wouldn't go foraging without it.
      D

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  4. Mushroom pie is my favourite. I make it with a little bit of cream cheese in the base - the juice from the mushrooms mix in and make a great sauce. I have always failed at making pastry - perhaps I'll give this recipe a go.

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    1. Oh that sounds delicious Jodie...I must try it some time.

      Deb

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  5. I couldn't help smiling at the photo of beautiful food one end of the table and balls of wool the other. My kind of place!

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    1. Oh good you are a women after me and B's heart too...
      Deb

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