MUSHROOM FLOUR RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Whisk the eggs, 150g of flour, a pinch of sea salt, the milk and 2 tablespoons of water into a smooth batter, then put aside. Peel the mushrooms, saving the peelings. Place the mushrooms cap side down in a large non-stick roasting tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, for the gravy, peel the onions and finely slice with the mushroom peelings, then place in a pan on a medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons of oil. Strip in half the rosemary and cook for 15 minutes, or until dark and gnarly, stirring occasionally. Add the porter and 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and let it reduce by half, then stir in the remaining flour. Gradually add 700ml of water, stirring regularly, then simmer to the consistency of your liking and season to perfection. Peel and finely slice the garlic, pick the remaining rosemary, then drizzle and rub it all with a little oil. Remove the tray from the oven and put the mushrooms on a plate for a moment. Working quickly but carefully, pour the batter into the tray, sit the mushrooms towards the centre, then sprinkle over the oiled garlic and rosemary. Return to the oven for 25 minutes, or until puffed up and golden. Serve with the gravy.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan and sizzle the mushrooms for 3-4 mins on each side until golden and cooked through – add a drop more oil if needed. Lift the mushrooms out onto kitchen paper to drain.
• Place the same pan back on the heat with the rest of the oil. Fry the garlic for a moment, add the spinach to the pan, then cook for 2-3 mins over a high heat until completely wilted. Season with salt and pepper, then tip the spinach into a large sieve to drain thoroughly.
• On a lightly floured surface scattered with the thyme leaves, roll the pastry out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a saucer and a larger-size plate, cut out 4 circles about 5cm wider than the mushrooms (for the bottoms) and 4 circles about 10cm wider (for the tops), re-rolling the trimmings if you need to.
• Place the four smaller circles on a baking tray and top each with a quarter of the spinach, making sure the pile of spinach isn’t wider than the mushrooms. Top the spinach with a slice of cheese, then a mushroom, smooth-side up, and top the mushroom with another slice of cheese. Brush the border to each circle with egg, then gently stretch the larger circle over the mushroom, trying not to trap any air, then press the edges together with a fork. Trim the edges with a knife if you want, then brush each generously with egg. Bake for 40 mins until golden, then leave to cool for a few mins before serving.