Cook and Drink

Thyme, oregano, nutty mushrooms and Parmesan cheese: a delicious combination at the heart of this easy mushroom pie. We used ready-made puff pastry, so making the filling is all you need to do.

Oregano (Origanum Vulgare) is typical for the Mediterranean cuisine. The leaves have an intense, earthy, slightly bitter taste. Use it when making tomato sauce, grilled vegetables or a lamb stew. Dried oregano is nearly as tasty as fresh oregano. When buying fresh oregano, make sure you’re not buying marjoram (Origanum Majorana) because its flavour is less intense and a bit sweet. To add to the confusion: oregano is also called wild marjoram whereas marjoram is called sweet marjoram.

Wine Pairing

We enjoyed our easy mushroom pie with a glass of Bardolino, made by Monte del Frà from Italy. The grapes used are Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. It is a well-balanced, vibrant ruby red wine with lots of fruit and a hint of spices. Medium acidity. In general, you’re looking for a refreshing red wine with lots of fruit that should be served slightly chilled.

What You Need

• 200 grams of firm Mushrooms, we used small Eryngii
• 50 grams of Pancetta
• 3 Eggs
• 50 grams of Crème Fraîche
• Parmesan Cheese
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Shallot
• 2 cloves of Garlic
• Puff Pastry
• Olive Oil

What You Do

1. Warm a skillet
2. Chop the shallot, the garlic and the oregano
3. Clean the mushrooms and slice in two if so required
4. Add some olive oil to the pan
5. Add slices of pancetta
6. Fry until crispy
7. Transfer to a plate with kitchen paper
8. Add the shallot to the pan and fry on low heat
9. After a few minutes add the mushrooms and fry over medium heat
10. After a few minutes add the garlic
11. Reduce heat
12. When all nicely done, add the thyme and the chopped oregano
13. Set aside and let cool
14. Preheat your oven to 180 °C or 355 °F
15. Whisk the three eggs
16. Add crème fraiche
17. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper
18. Cut or crumble the pancetta and add to the mushroom mixture
19. Add the mushroom mixture to the egg mixture, combine
20. Coat a 19 cm or 7.5-inch round baking tin with thin puff pastry
21. Add the mixture and distribute evenly
22. Transfer to the oven for 20-25 minutes or until nice and golden
23. Allow to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes
24. Remove from the tin as soon as possible
25. If the bottom is not done, then transfer back to the oven (without the tin) for 10 minutes and set your oven to 160 °C or 320 °F, lower heat only
26. Let cool and enjoy at 65 °C or 150 °F

PS

Skip the pancetta for a vegetarian version of this easy mushroom pie. Add extra thyme, oregano and Parmesan cheese.