VEGETABLES: Using ready-made pastry makes this an easy recipe to produce good result. It is more satisfying though to master the technique in pie & pastry making which will be discussed in more details under the "dessert" category later.

BRIE & MUSHROOM FLAN:

 

 

 

pastry:****

    1 ½ cups all purpose flour                          

    pinch of salt

    ½ cup cold butter, cut into cubes                

    2-3 tbsp. ice water

filling:

    2 tbsp. butter                                                           

    1 ½ to 2 cups diced mushroom

    10 oz. brie cheese, rind removed, diced     

    3 eggs

    2/3 cup 18% cream                                     

    ½ lb. spinach leaves, shredded

    salt and pepper

 

 ****store-bought frozen pastry can be used to substitute for home-made pastry. Defrost pastry in fridge before using****

 

 

Shift flour and salt together into the work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Swirl to mix. Add butter into the work bowl. Process with on/off pulses until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, add ice water in a stream through the feed tube and pulse on/off until mixture comes together to form a dough. Do not over process. Transfer dough onto a large piece of wax paper. Bring edges of paper together and squeeze the flour & butter mixture slightly  and evenly through the paper to make into a dough. Work dough gently into a ball; then flatter ball out into a large round. Cover round with another piece of wax paper and refrigerate 30 minutes.

 

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté mushroom for 1-2 minutes; then remove with a slotted spoon. Add spinach to pan and cook 1-2 minutes, until just wilted.  Strain and press out excess liquid from spinach as much as possible.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Roll out pastry between the 2 sheets of wax paper to line an 8-9-inch flan case. Bake pastry “blind”--by lining the top with wax paper; then add rice or store-bought "baking beans" on top of paper--for 10 minutes. Remove pastry from oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Transfer mushrooms and spinach to empty pastry case. Tuck brie cubes into spinach mixture. Beat eggs and cream together, season with salt and pepper; then pour it over mushroom mixture in the pie. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the filling is set. Serve hot or cold.