Mushroom Pastries

Mushrooms of one night are the best, and are small and red inside, closed above; and they should be peeled, then wash in hot water and parboil; if you wish to put them in pastry add oil, cheese, and powdered spices.

Fine Powder of Spices from Menagier p. M-40:

Take an ounce and a drachm of white ginger, a quarter-ounce of hand-picked cinnamon, half a quarter-ounce each of grains and cloves, and a quarter-ounce of rock sugar, and grind to powder.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb mushrooms
• 9 oz cheese (parmesan)
• 1 tbspn olive oil

Spice Powder:

• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/8 tsp grains of paradise (aka Guinea Pepper, Atar, Aligator Pepper, Melegueta Pepper)
• 1/4 tsp sugar

Pie crust:

• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup white flour
• 3/8 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup water

Method:

1. Make a pie crust by mixing flours and salt, stirring in water and kneading smooth.
2. Roll it out and put it in a 9" pie shell.
3. Slice mushrooms and parboil (put into boiling water and cook two minutes); drain.
4. Grate or chop cheese
5. Grind grains of paradise and mix up spices.
6. Mix mushrooms, 2/3 of cheese, spices and oil.
7. Put mixture into pie shell, put remaining cheese over; makes scant 9" pie.
8. Bake about 20-25 minutes at 350deg.F.