Mushroom Ricotta Tart

Puff pastry is an elegant and delicious dough, but arduous and time-consuming to make. When I’m inclined to some serious kitchen therapy, I pull out my trusty copy of Larousse and follow the laborious roll-fold-turn technique to a T. This is all very well and good when you have days to prep for one precious dessert. But some things in life can be just as delicious when you cut corners, and for this recipe, I recommend foregoing the labour of love, and using store-bought, frozen puff pastry for the base. You’ll be none the worse for wear and you can proudly present it at a weeknight dinner without breaking a sweat.

Ingredients

½ cup fresh Ricotta cheese
1 large Egg yolk
2 tsp extra virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup Crème Fraîche or Sour Cream
4 tbsp Butter
4 Shallots, finely sliced
2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1½ lb [750 gms] assorted fresh Mushrooms (like shitake, oyster, chanterelle, portobello), sliced
Salt (to taste)
1/8 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
1 tsp fresh Thyme
1 sheet (14 oz/400 gm) frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
1 Egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp water (for glaze)
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10–12 Chives, roughly torn (for garnish)

1. Puree ricotta in food processor for about 1 min, until smooth. Add 1 egg yolk and olive oil and blend. Transfer ricotta mixture to a bowl and fold in crème fraîche. Set aside. 
2. Heat butter in a large skillet or frying pan over high heat. Add shallots and garlic, and stir briskly for 2 mins, until golden brown and well caramelized. Add mushrooms and sauté for 8–10 mins until they are cooked through. Turn off heat and stir-in salt, black pepper and thyme. 
3. Preheat oven to 400ºF [200ºC]. Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and trim down to a roughly 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Transfer dough to a large, ungreased baking sheet. Using a sharp knife and starting ¼-inch in from the edge, score a line around the entire perimeter of the dough, cutting halfway through. Brush ¼-inch dough border with egg glaze. 
4. Spread ricotta mixture evenly over dough, inside the border. Top with mushrooms and then parmesan. Bake tart in oven for 30 mins, until the dough is golden and the top is well browned.
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 mins. Cut tart into 8 pieces and serve garnished with chives.