Costrada de setas – Wild mushroom pie
Makes 1x22cm round pie
500g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
50g tomato sofrito (from a jar)
120ml olive oil
Sea salt
1 egg, beaten, for brushing the pastry
For the filling
2 onions, sliced in rings
Around 8 tablespoons olive oil
A pinch of sugar or sea salt, if necessary
200g ceps, cleaned and sliced into strips
200g oyster mushrooms, cleaned and torn into strips
200g trompettes de la mort mushrooms, cleaned and sliced into strips
A little cumin (optional)
A little pimentón picante (hot paprika, optional)
For the pancakes
125g white flour
1 egg, beaten
Put the flour into a mixing bowl, add the sofrito oil, a pinch of salt and 120ml of water, and mix and knead to a homogeneous dough that comes away easily from the sides of the bowl (you may need to add a little more water or flour). Roll into a ball, cover the bowl with Clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rest for 2 hours. To make the filling, put the onions into a 22cm heavy-based frying pan (which you can use for the pancakes later) and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir the onions to ensure they are well coated. Place the pan, preferably on a diffuser, over a low heat and allow the onions to slowly caramelise for up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. After an hour taste the onions and adjust with a pinch of sugar or salt if necessary. Take off the heat, lift out the onions and keep to one side. Wipe out the pan and keep it for cooking the mushrooms.
Preheat the oven to 180 oc/ gas 4
For the pancakes, put the flour into a bowl, then gradually whisk in the beaten egg and 100ml of water until you have a smooth mixture. Leave the mixture to rest for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the filling, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in the frying pan, put in the ceps and sauté for 1-2 minutes until just golden, sprinkling with a pinch of cumin and paprika, if using. Lift out and keep to one side. Repeat with the oyster mushrooms and then the trompettes de la mort, keeping each variety separate and seasoning each with another pinch of cumin and paprika, if using. Wipe out the pan and keep for the pancakes.
Have ready a tart tin 22cm in diameter and 5cm deep.
Wipe the frying pan with a thin film of olive oil, then pour in half the pancake mixture and tilt the pan so that it covers the base. Cook very briefly until the underside is set and just golden, then flip over and cook the other side in the same way. Slide on to a plate and repeat with the rest of the mixture.
Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough in two – not quite in half, as you will need slightly more to line the tart tin than for the top. Roll out the larger piece into a circle big enough to line the tin and leave an overhang. Roll the dough around your rolling pin and then unroll it into the tin.
Spoon in the caramelised onion and spread it out evenly, follow with the ceps and a sprinkling of salt. Lay one of the pancakes over the top. Put in the oyster mushrooms and season with salt. Lay the second pancake on top, and finish with the trompettes de la mort, again seasoning with salt. Roll out the remaining pastry into a circle big enough to cover the pie and lift it over the top using your rolling pin, as before. Fold the overhang from the base pastry over the edges of the lid and pinch together to seal.
Brush the top with the beaten egg and prick it a few times with a fork. Bake in the preheated oven for around 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Take out, allow to cool briefly, and serve warm.
From Brindisa The True Food of Spain by Monika Linton Fourth Estate £29.95 www.harpercollins.co.uk
