Stuffed Mushrooms
I've never really been so good with appetizers. Getting a three-part entree on the table and dessert when there's company seems to test the limits of my capabilities. But now that I have a little more time, I've gotten a bit more elaborate with the dinner party menus. This summer, my wonderful Italian nonna friend Angela and I collaborated on a dinner. She did the bulk of it with her spectacular vincis grassi, a fritto misto of chicken, veal and beef, and a salad from her garden. I made an olive oil cake using the Frankie's Spuntino recipe, and antipasto of marinated eggplant and these stuffed mushrooms. Urge your picky eater to try them-- they're just bready and flavorful enough to disguise their being a vegetable. AND, they have no salt.
24-30 large white mushrooms
5 thick slices of good bread, like semolina, sourdough, or rustic white
1 clove garlic, cut in quarters
1/2 c. walnuts
About 2 oz. chunk parmesan cheese
large bunch of fresh basil leaves
3 T. olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Gently wash the mushrooms with just a thin stream of water. Shake off excess water and allow to dry on a rack.
Toast walnuts in a toaster oven for about 5 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to brown. Let cool.
Toast bread in a toaster oven until crispy and golden brown. Let cool and break into pieces.
With a paring knife, remove the brown bottom layer of the mushroom stem. Then gently cut out the rest of the stem, leaving the mushroom cap to form a small cup. Set stems aside.
In a food processor, process the parmesan cheese and the garlic. Add the toasted walnuts and process. Add the mushroom stems and bread and process. Add the basil, black pepper and 2 T. of the olive oil. Process until the mixture resembles a grainy cookie dough.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and oil the foil. Using a small spoon, heap the filling into the mushroom caps, gently pressing so the filling stays in. Place the mushrooms on the prepared pan. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over the mushrooms.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the mushrooms have softened and the filling begins to brown. Serve hot.