Roasted Butternut Squash and Mushroom Pie with Cheddar Pastry

Lots of veggies and fantastic flavour.  From Food and Drink Autumn 2011.

FILLING
8 cups 1/2 inch cubes butternut squash (about 1 medium squash)
1 large banana shallot, finely chopped (I could not find a banana shallot so I just used two regular ones)
4 whole cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pkg (14g) dried porcini mushrooms
250 g sliced brown mushrooms
1/2 cup homemade or low sodium vegetable or chicken stock
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
2/3 cup crumbled soft goat cheese

CHEDDAR PASTRY
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 cup each cold unsalted butter and lard, cubed
1 1/3 cups shredded extra old cheddar cheese
1/3 cup ice water
1 tbsp white vinegar or fresh lemon juice

EGG WASH
1 egg
1 tbsp cold water

1. For filling, preheat the oven to 400F.
2. In a large shallow roasting pan, toss squash, shallot and garlic cloves with 2 tbsp oil and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.  Roast, uncovered, for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let cool.
3. When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze cloves out of skins and mash smoothly.  Add garlic to squash and toss well.
4. Combine porcini mushrooms and 1 cup water in a 2 cup glass measure.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and pierce plastic wrap in several places with the point of a knife.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Remove mushrooms, squeezing out and discarding soaking liquid.  Rinse and drain mushrooms, then chop finely.
5. IN a medium nonstick skillet, heat remaining oil over medium high heat.  Add brown and porcini mushrooms and remaining salt and pepper.  Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until tender.  Add stock and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of skillet.  Boil stock until it has almost completely evaporated.
6. Scrape mushroom mixture into a large bowl.  Stir in squash mixture and sage and let cool completely.  Stir in goat cheese.  Season with more salt and pepper if necessary.  If you're not completing the pie immediately, cover and refrigerate the filling until ready to proceed, removing it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before assembling the pie.
7. For cheddar pastry, pulse flour, paprika and salt in a food processor until combined.  Add butter and lard and pulse 3 or 4 times just until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add cheese and pulse just until combines.  (I just do this by hand with a pastry cutter)
8. In a small bowl, stir together water and vinegar.  With motor running, add to food processor through feed tube and process just until dough holds together, adding a little more ice water if necessary.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until it forms a ball.  Cut dough in half and pat out each piece to a disc.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 400F.
10. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 piece of pastry to a 12 inch round.  Carefully roll pastry around rolling pin and transfer to a large lightly greased baking sheet.  Spoon butternut squash mixture onto pastry, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border around edge.
11. In a small bowl, beat together egg and water to make egg wash.  Brush edges of pastry on baking sheet with egg wash.  Roll out second piece of pastry to 12 inch round.  Carefully roll pastry around rolling pin and transfer to top of pie.  Seal edges well and trim them, reserving trimmings. Crimp edges decoratively.  Cut 2 or 3 holes in top of pie for steam to escape.  Cut decorative shapes from reserved trimmings and use to decorate top of pie, using egg wash to make them adhere.  Brush top of pie with egg wash.
12. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.  Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Serves 6 to 8

Mushroom Cannelloni

This pasta dish can be used as an appetizer or as a main course.  The recipe calls for Aerie mushrooms, but I am not able to purchase them in my rural town so I just used some mixed wild mushrooms and it was still delicious.  I used fresh lasagne sheets for the pasta.  From Food and Drink Spring 2001.

4 sheets pasta
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped sweet or Spanish onion
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups chopped chanterelle or other wild mushrooms
1 cup dry white wine (enjoy the rest)
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
2 eggs
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup shaved Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped parsley

1. Cut pasta sheets in 12 4 x 4 inch squares.  Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add 2 tbsp olive oil.  Stir in pasta sheets and boil for 4 to 5 minutes or until al dente.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the sheets sticking together.  Lay sheets on parchment paper.
2. Add remaining oil to skillet on medium heat.  Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 4 to 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes or until tender and slightly coloured.
3. Pour in wine and stock and cook until all liquid has disappeared, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove mixture from heat and cool.  Combine with breadcrumbs, eggs, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Mix well.
4. Divide mixture between pasta sheets, using about 3 tbsp filling per sheet.  Roll up.  Place in lightly oiled casserole dish with 1 cup chicken stock, Parmesan and olive oil.  Bake at 350F. covered, for 20 to 25 minutes and serve from the dish.  Dust with parsley before serving. (I also put a little salsa on the top).

Mushroom Tarts

This is a really rich accompaniment to dinner, but a very nice treat.  The pastry is very rich and if 1 tbsp is added, can be used for butter or fruit tarts.  If mushrooms are not your thing, substitute onions or your favourite roasted vegetable.  From Food and Drink 2003.

PASTRY
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cold butter, diced
1 cup cream cheese, diced

FILLING
2 tbsp butter
250 g fresh mushrooms, chopped
250 g wild mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Place flour and salt in food processor.  Scatter over butter and cream cheese.  With on-off motion, pulse together.  Remove from processor and form into ball.  Chill for 30 minutes.  (I don't have a food processor so I use the old method of a pastry cutter and cut the butter and cream cheese into the dough by hand, you can also use two knives to do it.)
2. Pinch 1 inch balls from pastry and pat into small tart or muffin tins.  Chill until needed.
3. Preheat oven to 400F.
4. Heat butter in skillet, add mushrooms and saute 5 minutes until juices disappear.  Add garlic and cream, bring to boil, add lemon juice, green onion and parsley and season with salt and pepper.  Spoon into pastry cases.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until pastry is edged with gold and mushroom filling is hot.  Turn out of tins and cool 10 minutes.  These may be frozen on cookie sheets, placed in frozen state at 350F for 15 minutes or until filling is hot. 

Makes about 30 tarts.

Mushroom Risotto

This is a wonderful dish on its own or with fish or chicken.  From Food and Drink 2003.

1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
8 oz mixed fresh wild mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp chopped garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp chopped parsley

RISOTTO
5 cups chicken stock, approx.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Carnaroli or arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Pour boiling water over dried mushrooms in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes.  Drain mushrooms and reserve liquid and mushrooms separately.
2. Remove stems from fresh mushrooms and slice.  Heat oil and butter in skillet over medium high heat.  Add garlic and sliced mushrooms.  Saute until mushrooms exude their liquid.  Season with salt, pepper and chopped parsley.  Leave in skillet for reheating.
3. To make risotto, bring stock to simmer on stove.  Heat oil and 1 tbsp butter in a heavy pot on medium heat.  Add onion and saute for 3 minutes or until softened.  Add rice and saute until rice is coated with oil.
4. Pour in wine and simmer steadily until wine is absorbed.  Pour in mushroom soaking liquid and dried mushrooms and cook, stirring until most of liquid is absorbed.  Add 1 cup of stock, stirring until most is absorbed.  Continue to add stock in 1 cup quantities, stirring most of the time until rice is creamy with a slight bite in the centre, about 18 to 20 minutes.  Reheat mushrooms and stir into rice.
5. Remove from heat, stir in remaining 1 tbsp butter and Parmesan cheese.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Toscano Mushroom Manicotti with Spinach Bechamel Bake

So just to be different, I changed the Manicotti in this recipe to turkey breast slices :)  It was wonderful!
Here is the recipe as I saw it in Food and Drink Autumn 2010 - but I highly recommend the turkey (smoked if you can).

Tomato Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup tomato paste

Spinach Bechamel
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bag pre-washed spinach
2 cups whole milk (I used 1%)
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and Pepper

Mushroom Filling
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup diced shallots
1 lb button mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and Pepper

8 Manicotti tubes
1/4 lb (125g) Monforte Toscano or Italian Pecorino Toscano, 1 cup grated
1 tbsp shaved almonds

1. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Add minced garlic and saute another minute.  Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer over medium high heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until reduced to a thickened sauce that coats the back of a spoon.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish and spread the tomato sauce over the bottom with a spoon.  Set aside.
3. For Spinach bechamel, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat and add the spinach. Saute 3 to 4 minutes or until wilted and soft.  Cool and squeeze out excess liquid.  Roughly chop and set aside.
4. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until just bubbling.  Add bay leaf and set aside to infuse for 10 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.
5. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly, and whisk until all lumps are gone.  Simmer until thickened and creamy and coats the back of a spoon, about 7 to 8 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in nutmeg, then spinach until combined.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and set aside.
6. Make mushroom filling by melting butter in a large pan over medium high heat.  Add shallots and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes or until there is no more liquid draining from the mixture and it is moist but thickened.  Add lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook manicotti until al dente, about 6 to 8 minutes or as per package directions.  Remove from water and set aside to drain.
8. Preheat oven to 350F.
9. To assemble the dish:  Using a small coffee spoon, stuff each manicotti about 3/4 full with the mushroom filling (if using the turkey slices place in the middle of slice and roll - now you have a meat manicotti).  Place in the casserole dish on top of tomato sauce, all in a row.  Blanket the manicotti with the spinach bechamel.  Sprinkle pasta with the grated Toscano cheese.  Top with the shaved almonds.
10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until edges are bubbling; remove from oven.  Adjust rack to top and raise oven temperature to 500F.  Put casserole back in oven for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese and almonds turn golden (watch closely so it doesn't burn).

Serves 4 to 6

Mushroom Leek Strudel

This is an elegant dish!

6 cups sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 medium leeks (1 bunch) white and light green parts
1 cup light cream (or milk)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup fine breadcrumbs
14 sheets phyllo pastry

• Melt the 1/3 cup butter in a large heavy bottomed saucepan or large frying pan.  Add the mushrooms, lemon juice and garlic and saute briskly, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes, continuing to stir constantly.  Slice the leeks, thinly add to the saucepan and cook another 3 minutes.  Keep up the stirring or the mixture will scorch.
• Lower the heat, pour in the cream, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper and cook until the filling thickens evenly, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove from the heat and cool.
• Butter a pan the same size as a sheet of phyllo pastry.  Place one sheet of phyllo in the pan, brush with butter and sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs.  Repeat with 6 more layers, buttering and sprinkling each with breadcrumbs.  Spread the filling evenly over the pastry.  Cover with 7 more sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheet and sprinkling all the sheets but the last with crumbs.
• Bake at 375 F for 40 to 50 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp and the filling bubbling.  Let stand a few minutes to firm, then cut into squares using a serrated knife.
• Makes 8 main course servings, about 12 hors d'ouevre sized squares.

Zucchini and Mushroom Vegetarian Lasagna

Preparation time:  15 minutes
Cooking time:  20 minutes
Baking time:  30 minutes
Makes 12 servings

4 large unpeeled zucchini
1 lb (500g) fresh mushrooms, such as button, brown or shiitake
3 tsp butter
4 crushed garlic cloves
700 ml jar spaghetti sauce
5 1/2 oz can tomato paste
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
8 oz mozzarella or provolone cheese, grated
475 g container ricotta cheese, well drained
2 eggs
1/4 cup all purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Cut unpeeled zucchini, lengthwise,, into 1/4 inch thick slices.  Take 8 outside slices (the ones that are primarily peel) and finely chop.  Slice mushrooms
2. Melt 1 tsp butter in a large wide saucepan.  Add garlic and chopped zucchini.  Saute over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Remove to paper towels to drain.  Add remaining butter to pan along with mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes.  Drain off all liquid.
3. Add spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and cooked zucchini to mushrooms and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring often for 10 minutes.  Stir in half of grated cheese.  Remove pan from heat.  Cover and set aside.
4. Place ricotta, eggs and flour in a food processor.  Whirl, using an on-and-off motion, until smooth.  Or beat with a spoon until smooth.
5. Cover bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with some of large zucchini slices.  Spread with half of ricotta mixture.  Top with half of tomato sauce.  Repeat layers and sprinkle remaining grated cheese overtop.
6. Bake in centre of oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until hot in centre.  If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.  Bring to room temperature before baking.