Bolton Common Appetizer Recipe

If you love mushrooms…

The Bolton Common

By Renee Zarate

I love the Super Bowl!  I remember watching the first Super bowl game with my family, many years ago.  I never get tired of it, but to be honest with you I do enjoy it a little bit more when “my” team is playing.  I like to go beyond the usual hot dogs piled high with chili, cheese, and diced onions, though that is really good, too.  To me it is fun to add a few “fancy” appetizers along with the usual chips and salsa.  This is delicious and is like eating a sandwich only with pie crust.  Yum.

A Rustic Pie Filled with Wild Mushrooms

Pie Crust:

2 ½ Cups flour

4 Tbl. cold butter

4 Tbl. Crisco

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbl. vinegar

1 beaten egg

Ice water (3 to 6 Tablespoons)

Milk or beaten egg for the wash

Instructions:

Add the flour and salt to a large bowl and stir together.  Add butter and shortening, cutting it in until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Add the beaten egg and the vinegar, mixing it well.  Moisten the dough with   ice water, just a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together nicely.  Wrap in plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or longer.

Make the filling:

1 pound of fresh mixed wild mushrooms or just Portabellas, chopped coarsely

2 shallots, minced

¼ pound of chopped ham

2 Tbl. butter

2 sprigs of fresh thyme or ½ tsp of dried thyme

½ cup of wine or fruit juice (I used Vermouth)

½ cup of chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 Tbl grated Parmesan cheese

Chop all of the mushrooms and set aside.  In a large skillet, sauté the minced shallots in butter until soft.  Add the chopped mushrooms and the thyme; cook until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are soft.  Remove the mushrooms from the pan but leave the juices.  Pour the wine into the pan and cook down the liquid until it is about half of what you started with.  Add the chicken stock and reduce the liquid until it is slightly syrupy.  Add the mushrooms back to the pan and fold in the ham, check the seasonings at this point and add salt and pepper if necessary.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

Roll out the pie crust to about ¼” thickness.  Place the large circle on an ungreased cookie sheet or one covered with parchment paper.  Spoon the mushroom mixture into the center of the pie crust and top it with the grated cheeses.  Fold the pastry edges over the filling and then lightly brush the pie crust with milk or a beaten egg yolk.  Place in a 375 degrees preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is golden.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8 to 10 as an appetizer

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