Portobello Mushroom Wellington

1Remove stems (discard or save for another use) from the mushroom caps. Cut caps into 1 in. (2.5 cm) strips. Heat 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the olive oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Brown the mushroom strips on all sides by turning only occasionally; about 6 min. Season with 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each of the salt and pepper. Transfer mushrooms to a dish to cool completely.

2Return the pan to the heat with the remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil. Add the garlic, cooking until lightly golden, about 30 sec. Add the spinach and remaining 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper to the pan. Stir and turn over the leaves frequently to fully wilt, about 3 min. Set aside to cool completely.

3Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly brush with additional oil or spritz with cooking spray (the fat helps crisp up the bottom of the pastry); set aside.

4In small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tbsp (15 mL) water to make an egg wash; set aside. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Lay out 1 sheet of puff pastry. Imagine the sheet divided into 3 equal “strips” running horizontally (don’t actually cut them). Fillings will be layered onto the “middle strip”, leaving 1 in. (2.5 cm) borders at either end.

5Begin layering fillings by sprinkling the breadcrumbs onto the “middle strip”. Next, arrange the largest mushroom pieces overtop the crumbs. Then place the smaller pieces of mushroom, slightly overlapping, on top of the initial mushroom layer. Shape the sausage meat into an oblong patty the same size as the layer of mushrooms; place on top. Gently squeeze out excess moisture from the spinach; pat the spinach into an even layer on the sausage meat. Slice the goat cheese log into 8 rounds, lay along the top. Drain and pat dry the roasted peppers. Slightly overlap the pepper slices to cover the top of the filling.

6Holding the edge of the pastry sheet (it doesn’t matter if it’s the top or bottom “strip”), carefully pull the pastry snugly over the filling; gently shape it against the filling, pressing out any large air pockets. Brush the exposed edges of the puff pastry with egg wash and fold the second “strip” of pastry overtop the first one, pulling it over snugly. Gently press to seal the egg washed edges and ends tightly. To create a smooth pastry top on the wellington, brush the entire pastry surface with egg wash, then lay the second sheet of puff pastry neatly overtop. Gently tuck the edges of the top pastry sheet underneath the sides of the wellington -- but leave the ends of the top pastry “as is”, loosely folded under but not sealed.

7Transfer the mushroom wellington to the prepared baking sheet. Brush again with egg wash. Use a sharp knife to cut a few small “X” vents along the top. Bake until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the sausage meat reaches 74°C (165°F), approx. 35 min. Cool a few min. before cutting and serving to permit neater slicing. Present wellington whole or arranged in slices on a platter. Serve with your favourite side dish or salad, if desired.