A delicious mix of savory flavors is addicting here, with the magic of balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and a bit of dark brown sugar in the sauté. And then...caramelized shallots, a bit of garlic, fresh thyme, a bit of mild cheese, Bella mushrooms and oooo la la! As an appetizer or main meal, this is wonderful with soup and salad too.
Make it easy and make it fast with presliced, prewashed mushrooms and a puff pastry from the dairy case. This comes together in 20 minutes!
Here is what you need:
2 cups cremini/baby bella mushrooms
good-quality puff pastry dough
5 ounces gruyere, jarlsberg or emmenthaler cheese, grated
3 shallots cut into rings
1 clove garlic minced
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon dark brown sugar
4 sprigs fresh thyme
I use a few more shallots than this because I love them so much.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Lay puff pastry dough on a greased baking sheet. If you use the pastry brand I recommend, above, it comes with its own parchment paper underneath and needs no greasing. You can cut into individual rectangles or leave as a full pizza, your choice.
Sprinkle with a layer of cheese, leaving a crust-like border around the outside of the pastry with no cheese.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Caramelize the shallots. Add mushrooms, garlic, dark brown sugar, soy, and balsamic. Stirring often, let mushroom mixture cook and soften for 8-10 minutes until mushrooms shrink to about half of their original size.
Turn the burner off and stir in thyme removed from 2-3 sprigs.
Use a slotted spoon to add mushroom mixture to the top of each pastry, leaving a border around the outside of the pastry uncovered.
After all mushroom mixture is used, sprinkle the top of pastry with more cheese and a bit more thyme.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until pastry is puffy and golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Also good the next day as a leftover, just wrap well.