Looking for something quick and comforting, easy and cheesy? This ham and Brie stuffed puff parcel is another winning recipe from Delicious Magazine online. They really do know how to put together enticing dishes, perfect for mid-week meals, with just a handful of ingredients and a few steps to produce.
Both my children can now make this tart with very little assistance and fight over every last crumb of pastry. No way will they eat it with spinach inside (yet!) but are more than happy with my garlic mushroom substitute.
We usually serve this with a salad and sharp dressing to cut through the rich cheese.
You might notice that the original recipe calls for a beaten egg with which to seal the edges of the pastry and to brush over the top of the tart to make it golden when baked. An egg wash is common for pastry dishes, but I find that it can be wasteful if you’re not baking a lot since a little egg wash goes a long way.
Instead of an egg, I use a drop of milk. The finish isn’t quite as bakery ‘golden’ but it does work very well. The other thing you could do is to mix your egg with an equal amount, in volume, of milk so that it pours more easily. Use what you need immediately then pour the rest into a couple of small pots or ice cube trays and freeze for your next baking session.
The original recipe works well and is delicious but if you’d like to try my variation, here’s the recipe.
Ham, Brie and garlic mushroom tart
Serves 4-6
| Ingredients | Equipment to have ready |
| 1 tbsp olive oil | Chopping board |
| 250g mushrooms, sliced | Sharp knife |
| 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or crushed | Frying pan |
| A few fresh thyme leaves or a pinch of dried (optional) | Baking tray |
| 2 sheets ready rolled puff pastry | |
| 1 wedge of Brie (approx. 160g), sliced | |
| 1 pack cooked ham slices (approx. 120g), torn roughly | |
| A few drops of milk | |
| Salt and pepper |
Method
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and when hot fry the mushrooms. Once they’ve started to fry add the garlic and thyme (if using) and season with salt and pepper. Cook the mushrooms until all the liquid has come out of them and evaporated. Set aside and leave to cool.
- Pre-heat the oven to 200C fan.
- Unroll one sheet of pastry, leaving it on the baking parchment sheet from the packet. Lay on the slices of Brie, leaving a 2cm border around the edge of the pastry.
- Next lay over the ham and sprinkle over the cooked mushrooms.
- Brush the border of the pastry with a little milk then lay over the second sheet of pastry. Either pinch the edges together with your fingers, crimp or press with a fork.
- Brush the top with milk and bake in the oven for around 20 minutes until the pastry is cooked through as well as golden and crisp on top.