Say  hello to your next favorite appetizer (or dinner, or snack). I realize that’s kind of a bold statement, but unless mushrooms aren’t your friend, I’d suggest you plan on taking this to your next gathering. Of course, you’ll have to taste test it first. (Be responsible!) And then you might have to taste test it again, just to ensure the first time wasn’t a fluke. And then you’ll know. It’s really just awesome.

The dish is adapted from the Oh She Glows Cookbook. Over the past few years, as my love for playing in the kitchen has grown, I’ve been amazed by all the beautiful, delicious cookbooks that exist. I love to curl up at night and thumb through old favorites, or ones I’ve borrowed from the library, to keep my creative juices flowing. Thanks for inspiring me, Angela!

Balsamic Mushroom Tart with Parsley-Walnut Pesto

The Onions:
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced into thin half moons

The Mushrooms:
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
16 oz. whole baby bella mushrooms, stems cut even with top of mushroom and sliced

The Pesto:
1 large garlic clove
2/3 c. walnuts
1 c. loosely packed fresh parsley, de-stemmed
1/2 c. of your sautéed mushrooms
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 – 2 TBSP water
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

To Assemble:
6 – 7 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
olive oil, for brushing dough
1/3 c. freshly grated parmesan
2 – 3 oz. chèvre cheese
handful of fresh parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a large, rimmed baking sheet.

In a large skillet/sauce pan, heat 1 TBSP of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and stir. Add the 2 TBSP of balsamic vinegar and stir. Saute for 15 – 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid released by the mushrooms has evaporated. Set aside.

While your mushrooms are cooking, heat the other 1 TBSP of live oil in another large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring often. The onions should be soft and lightly caramelized.

To make the parsley-walnut pesto, add garlic, walnuts, parsley, 1/2 cup of your sautéed mushrooms, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a food processor. You could also do this in a blender. It will take a little longer, and you’ll need to scape down the sides more often, but it works! Pulse to mix everything together. Add 1 – 2 TBSP of water, depending on how much liquid your pesto needs to move around a little easier. Add your salt and pepper and mix everything together well.

To assemble the tart, place one sheet of phyllo dough on the parchment paper on your baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush with olive oil. Place another sheet on top and brush with olive oil again. Repeat until you’ve used 6 – 7 sheets of dough. Keep in mind that phyllo dough can be finicky – if you have two sheets stick together, that’s fine! You just want 6 – 7 total, and at least 3 – 4 layers of brushed olive oil. Do not brush your last layer. Fold the edges of the tart in 1/2 – 1 inch, and brush this crust to help it stick in place.

Add all of your parsley-walnut pesto to the top layer of phyllo dough. Sprinkle your freshly grated parmesan evenly over the pesto. Then add your onions and remaining balsamic mushrooms on top. Finally, add chèvre on top in multiple places. You can use as much or as little as you’d like; I like about 2 – 3 oz. worth.

Bake your tart at 350 F for 27 – 30 minutes. Let it cool for 5 – 8 minutes before adding fresh parsley on top, and cutting with a pizza cutter. Try not to eat the whole thing. (I mean, at least share it with one person you like. A lot.)