Taleggio and Mushroom Tart

Taleggio, a very rich and semi-soft cheese made from whole cow’s milk, has a distinct smell. When I saw this recipe in The New York Times, I knew it would be more fragrant with earthy mushrooms. It’s a great autumn recipe if you can afford some truffles or chantarelles in season. Otherwise, shiitake mushrooms will do.

Ingredients:
1 medium-sized deep-dish pie crust shell
Taleggio cheese, rinds removed, thinly sliced
a few ounces of shiitake mushrooms, sliced and stems discarded
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 tbsps crème fraîche
salt, ground white pepper, olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350º and bake pie shell for about 10 minutes.
2. While baking, sauté cumin, shallots and mushrooms in hot olive oil until mushrooms are starting to brown. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Let the pie shell cool and then spread crème fraîche and cover with the cooked shallots and mushrooms. Top with Taleggio. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes until cheese melts.