Rustic Mushroom and Béchamel Pie

17/11/2023

The rustic mushroom and béchamel pie is a flavorful dish, perfect to serve as an appetizer or as a main course. Here is how to prepare it:

Ingredients

1 roll of puff pastry (or brisée pastry)
300 g of mushrooms (champignons, porcini, or a mix to taste)
200 ml of béchamel sauce (ready-made is also fine)
100 g of diced cooked ham (optional)
100 g of soft cheese (such as Fontina or Scamorza), cut into cubes
1 egg
Chopped parsley to taste
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove of garlic
Butter for greasing the pan

Preparation

In a pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the garlic clove until golden. Add the mushrooms cut into slices or pieces, some chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and cook until they are tender and their cooking liquid has evaporated.
In a bowl, mix the cooked mushrooms with béchamel sauce, diced cooked ham, and diced soft cheese. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
Beat the egg in a separate bowl and add it to the mixture of mushrooms, béchamel sauce, and cheese. Mix well to blend the ingredients.
Roll out the puff pastry in a previously greased pan with a bit of butter or lined with parchment paper and pour the prepared filling into it.
If you wish, you can cover the pie with another layer of puff pastry or leave it open. If you opt for a closed pie, remember to prick the surface with a fork to allow steam to escape during cooking.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-40 minutes or until the surface of the pie is golden and crispy.

If desired, you can add some grated Parmesan cheese or aromatic herbs on the surface before baking the pie for an extra flavorful touch.

Curiosity

The rustic pie is a dish that lends itself to multiple variations; you can experiment with different types of cheeses and cold cuts or, for a vegetarian version, completely omit the ham. In some regions of Italy, it is enriched with spinach or artichokes, depending on the season.