Mushroom Party Recipe

Prepare mushrooms

Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth or quickly rinse and pat dry. Trim stems as needed and roughly chop larger mushrooms so pieces are bite-sized; smaller mushrooms can be halved or left whole.

Sweat aromatics

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When butter is foaming, add the minced shallot and sauté 2–3 minutes until translucent and fragrant, stirring so they don’t brown.

Cook mushrooms

Add the chopped mushrooms in a single layer (work in two batches if necessary to avoid steaming). Cook undisturbed 3–4 minutes to get good color, then stir and continue cooking 4–6 minutes until mushrooms have released their liquid and it has mostly evaporated and the mushrooms are golden.

Deglaze and finish

Add the minced garlic and fresh thyme, sauté 30 seconds until aromatic. Pour in the white wine (or broth) to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits; cook 1–2 minutes until liquid mostly evaporates. Stir in the heavy cream and cream cheese (if using) until melted and combined. Remove from heat, stir in chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Allow mixture to cool slightly (5–10 minutes).

Prep oven and pastry

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. If using a puff pastry sheet, roll lightly on a floured surface to remove fold seams and to a roughly 10x12-inch rectangle. If making multiple small tarts, cut into desired shapes.

Assemble

Spread the cooled mushroom mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the grated Gruyère evenly on top of the mushrooms. If using a whole sheet, fold the edges up or score a decorative border to contain the filling. For individual hors d'oeuvres, portion filling by tablespoon onto cut pastry squares and top with cheese.

Egg wash

Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon cold water. Lightly brush the pastry edges (not the filling) with the egg wash to help browning.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven 15–20 minutes for a full sheet, or 12–15 minutes for small tarts, until pastry is puffed and golden and cheese is melted and bubbling. Rotate the pan halfway for even color.

Cool

Remove from oven and let cool on the sheet 5 minutes so filling sets slightly. Transfer to a cooling rack if making multiple pieces.

Scatter microgreens or extra parsley over the warm tart(s). Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a pinch of chili flakes if using. Slice into portions and serve warm or at room temperature.

Leftovers: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes to re-crisp pastry.