Mushroom and tarragon pithivier (Ottolenghi’s)

Many people refuse to believe that, of all places, I got my basic training at Le Cordon Bleu cookery school. There really is nothing French about my cooking. As a matter of fact, I often describe it as anti-French, or at least anticlassical French. This has probably to do with the fact that I am not too big on stocks, I don't do brunoise, and I use less meat and more vegetables in my cooking and tend to be more concerned about cooking the latter to perfection than the former: Still, I don't want to undermine anything I learned at that legendary culinary institution. It gave me all the basic tools I needed to set out on a career in food. I particularly remember my thrill at making a pithivier—a sweet version with almond cream—using my own puff pastry. It was the first professional-looking thing I had ever made and I beamed with pride. This savory version is wonderfully rich and aniseedy and needs only a sharp leafy salad alongside.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Bring the stock to a simmer and add the porcini mushrooms. Remove from the heat and set aside to soften.

Step 2

Place 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallots and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the shallots have softened and colored all over. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Step 3

Add another 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter to the pan. Keeping the pan over medium-high heat, add the cremini and shiitake mushrooms, and leave them for a minute without stirring. Stir and then cook for another 2 minutes before adding them to the shallots.

Step 4

Place the remaining each 1 tablespoon oil and butter in the pan and repeat the process with the oyster and buna-shimeji mushrooms. Return the shallots and cooked mushrooms to the pan, along with the stock, porcini, ¾ teaspoon salt, and a good grind of black pepper. Simmer vigorously for 8 minutes, until the stock has reduced to one-third. Turn down the heat to low, add the crème fraîche, and cook for another 8 minutes. When just 2 to 3 tablespoons of sauce are left, add the ouzo, tarragon, and parsley. Cook for a final minute before transferring the mixture to a bowl and setting aside to cool.

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 425°F/ 220°C.

Step 6

Divide the pastry into 2 equal blocks and roll out each block into a square about ⅛-inch/3-mm thick. Rest them in the fridge for 20 minutes and then cut into circles: one 11-inches/ 28-cm in diameter, the other 12-inches/ 30-cm.

Step 7

Leave them to rest in the fridge again for at least 10 minutes.

Step 8

Place the smaller circle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the mushroom filling on top, leaving ¾-inch/2-cm clear around the edge.

Step 9

Brush the edge with egg and place the other circle over the filling, sealing the two edges together. Use the tines of a fork to make decorative parallel lines around the edge. Brush the pie with egg and use the blunt side of a small knife to draw curved lines from the center of the pie to the edge. Make sure you just score the pastry without cutting through it.

Step 10

Place the pithivier in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes, until golden on top and cooked on the bottom. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.