Manon’s Chestnut & Mushroom Tartlet

Deliciously savoury, these tarts make a tasty autumnal starter.

📝 Ingredients

• 75 g wholemeal flour
• 150 g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp caster sugar
• 75 g coconut oil, at room temperature
• 2–3 tbsp cold water
• 20 ml olive oil, plus 2 tsp for frying
• 25 g plain flour
• 250 ml cashew milk
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• 125 g baby chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 50 g cooked chestnuts
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra sprigs to decorate
• salt and ground black pepper

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Make the shortcrust. In a large mixing bowl, combine the wholemeal and plain flours, salt, sugar and coconut oil together with your hands until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the cold water, a little at a time, to form a dough.
2. 2Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, and roll out each piece on a lightly floured worktop until each is large enough to cover the base and sides of a tart tin.
3. 3Line each tart tin with a sheet of pastry, pressing the dough into the fluted sides. Trim the edges and re-roll the trimmings to 5mm thick, then cut out 8 clover shapes. Chill the cases and clover for 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.
4. 4Line the tartlets with foil and baking beans, place on a baking tray along with the clover shapes and bake the cases blind for 10 minutes and until the clover shapes are light golden.
5. 5Remove the clovers and set aside. Remove the foil and beans from the pastry cases and return them to the oven for a further 8 minutes, until light golden.
6. 6Meanwhile, make the filling. Place the 20ml of oil in a small pan and add the flour. Cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously, until thickened. Gradually add the cashew milk, stirring until thickened and smooth. Add the nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. 7Heat the 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a medium pan over a medium heat, add the mushrooms and cook for 4–5 minutes, until slightly browned, then add to the sauce along with the chestnuts and parsley.
8. 8Divide the filling equally between the tart cases, then top each tart with a few pastry clovers and a parsley sprig. Serve hot.