Pumpkin, Hazelnut and Mushroom Cake

This pumpkin, mushroom and hazelnut tart works as a dinner or as a starter for any meal. It's a savory tart for which you'll prepare the filling very quickly, and the result is spectacular. A wonderful combination of autumn flavors in a tart that surprises.

You can choose the finish yourself - you can give it this more refined look with the pastry cut into a thousand leaf-like layers (that's what will make you spend more time), or you can choose to trim the pastry into a less elaborate design... Or not cut it at all! That would be the quickest way to do it. How will you decide to make it?

Ingredients

• 1 small pumpkin
• 260 gr cream cheese
• 4 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• Nutmeg
• Oil
• Half an onion
• Two garlic cloves
• 250 gr button mushrooms
• 150 gr shiitake mushrooms
• Parsley
• Two sheets of shortcrust pastry*
• Two handfuls of toasted hazelnuts
• Butter to grease the pan

*If you finish the tart by covering it with a whole sheet of shortcrust pastry or with strips to make a lattice, 2 sheets of shortcrust pastry will be enough; if you plan to cut the sheets into leaf shapes as in the video, you will require 3 sheets.

Preparation

1. Peel the pumpkin, cut it in half and slice it lengthwise into large wedge-like pieces. Arrange them on a baking dish or tray (the recipe used the Emile Henry ceramic baking dish), season with salt and pepper, drizzle with oil and roast in an oven preheated to 180ºC, about 10 minutes per side. You only want to par-cook the pumpkin to ensure it is tender after the final baking - once the indicated roasting time has passed, remove and set aside.
2. In a bowl mix 4 eggs and the cream cheese. If you like, you can add a little cooking cream. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a pan or sauté pan over the stove. Add a few tablespoons of oil and brown the finely chopped onion and the minced garlic (you can use the garlic press). Brown for a few minutes.
4. Slice all the mushrooms and add them to the pan with the garlic and onion. Season with salt, pepper, half a teaspoon of nutmeg and sprinkle parsley on top. Let them reduce and remove from the heat.
5. Prepare the round Emile Henry ceramic dish by greasing it with a little butter. Place the sheet of shortcrust pastry on top.
6. Pour the cheese and egg mixture into the mold, arrange the pumpkin wedges on top, scatter a handful of hazelnuts, add the mushrooms.
7. On top, lay the second sheet of shortcrust pastry (make a central hole so the steam can escape), or cut the pastry into strips to make a lattice. Or cut the pastry into leaves and carefully place them on top of the mold as they did in the video! Start placing the leaves from the outer edge and make progressively smaller circles.
8. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes at 180 ºC.
9. Remove onto a cooling rack, a kitchen towel or a wooden board to avoid a sudden temperature shock, let rest for a few minutes and you can serve hot... Or keep to serve the tart warm a few hours later.

Notes

The recipe used the 28cm Emile Henry deep ceramic mold, this one here.

You might prefer the traditional model of the same mold, this one.