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Stuffed mushrooms first started appearing as a popular recipe in the late 19th century in Italy. The Italians are renowned for stuffing everything and anything from zucchini flowers to pasta dough: the culinary term for this in Italian is ripiene. Anything on an Italian menu with the prefix ripiene will be stuffed with one thing or another.
Stuffed baked or deep fried portobello mushrooms are a versatile option that can be offered as a nice side dish, an entree or an attractive hors d’oeuvre. It is also a great option for vegetarian and vegan folk.
As portobello mushrooms come in a variety of sizes, from bite size to knife-and-fork size, you can choose the appropriate size of mushroom to fit the job.
Accompanied by aioli or a spicy mayonnaise dip, it’s a real treat.
Ripiene di Funghi
Ingredients:
- 2-3 punnets portobello mushrooms
- 1-2 large onions
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- Pinch of hot chili flakes (optional)
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme, strip leaves
- Zest of one lemon
- White wine
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Breadcrumbs for coating
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- Canola oil for frying
Method:
Brush off any dirt from the mushrooms and remove stems, revealing the cavity to be stuffed. Set aside. Finely dice (separately) onion, garlic, thyme, mushroom stalks and any mushrooms that aren’t of your preferred size.
Heat a frypan with a good dash of olive oil to a high heat. Add the onion and immediately turn heat down to medium. Toss or stir until onion becomes translucent, then add the garlic, fresh thyme and hot chili. Toss for a minute, add chopped mushrooms and continue cooking until all the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms. Then add salt, pepper, lemon zest and a good ‘schluk’ of white wine. Toss or stir regularly until the mushrooms start to brown and the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Once the mushroom mixture has cooled, add several tablespoons of breadcrumbs, and a little olive oil if dry. Mix together well. Taste for salt and pepper and add if needed.
Using a teaspoon, fill the cavities in the portobello mushrooms with the mixture until it is flush with the surface, gently pressing the filling into the mushroom. Place portobellos on a paper-lined tray. Break one egg into a small bowl, whisk in a little water, a small pinch of thyme and salt and pepper. Pour a cup of breadcrumbs into a separate bowl and add a small pinch of salt, pepper.
Using a wooden skewer or large toothpick, pierce the mushrooms and dip into the egg wash, then drop into the breadcrumbs and ensure they are coated well. These can be pre-prepared and left in the fridge on a tray and fried later.
Add canola oil to a small pot and deep fry the mushrooms, turning over to ensure they are cooked well on all sides. When brown and crispy remove to paper towels. These are great hot, but also enjoyable at room temperature. Make a mayonnaise dip, adding sriracha or Tabasco to mayonnaise with a little crushed garlic to fill out the flavour.
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