polenta, goat cheese, and mushroom tart

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polenta, goat cheese, and mushroom tart

 

For butter pastry dough for a single-crust 9-inch tart:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, (1/2 cup) cut into bits

3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced

1 stick (unsalted butter, 1/2 cup) softened

For 1 cup cooled prepared polenta:

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cornmeal, or instant polenta

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 pound soft mild goat cheese, from a log or disk

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh small thyme sprigs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 375°F.

On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into a 15-inch

round (about 1/8 inch thick) and fit it into a 9-inch quiche dish.

 

Trim overhang to 1/2 inch and fold toward center, pressing against side of dish.

Chill shell until ready to use.

In a skillet cook mushrooms with salt to taste in 2 tablespoons butter over

moderately high heat until golden and any liquid is evaporated.

 

Spread mushrooms in shell and bake in middle of oven 20 minutes.

While tart is baking, with back of a spoon force polenta through a coarse sieve

into a bowl to break up lumps.

 

Stir in sour cream and remaining 6 tablespoons butter until combined well. Force

goat cheese through small teardrop-shaped holes of a grater and stir into

polenta mixture with eggs and salt.

Spread polenta mixture over mushrooms and sprinkle with thyme.

 

Bake tart 35 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Cool tart on a rack until just

warm.

 

Serves 6.

Source: Gourmet | October 1995

Formatted by Chupa Babi: 07.07.08

 

TO MAKE BUTTER PASTRY DOUGH:

In a large bowl whisk together flour and salt and with a pastry blender or your

fingertips blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.

 

Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork to incorporate, until

mixture begins to form a dough. On a floured work surface smear dough in 3 or 4

forward motions with heel of hand to slightly develop gluten in flour and make

dough easier to work with. Form dough into a ball and flatten to form a disk.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in 1 hour. Dough may be made 1 week ahead

and chilled. Makes enough dough for a single-crust 9-inch tart.

 

TO MAKE BASIC POLENTA:

In a heavy saucepan bring water and salt to a boil and gradually whisk in

cornmeal in a thin stream.

 

Cook polenta over moderately low heat (it should be barely boiling), stirring

constantly, until very thick and pulls away from side of pan, about 40 minutes

for cornmeal and about 15 minutes for instant polenta. Remove pan from heat and

cover to keep warm. Stir polenta just before using. Polenta will keep warm,

covered, about 20 minutes. Makes about 3 cups.

Note: In the traditional method of cooking polenta, forty minutes of constant

stirring is required to achieve a lumpless texture and fragrant flavor.

 

However, Italian-food expert Marcella Hazan has developed a method that involves

very little stirring during this time. We believe it produces a very good

polenta, one nearly as flavorful and smooth as the traditional procedure. To

make satisfactory polenta in a real hurry, an imported instant polenta

(precooked cornmeal) is available. This cooks in a mere fifteen minutes.

 

" This soufflé-like tart makes a nice lunch or light dinner with a salad of mixed

baby greens. "

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