Mushroom Pie

Ingredients

• 1 basic pie dough recipe, rolled out and lining a 9 or 10-inch pie dish, or 8x8 baking dish, frozen for at least 30 minutes
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 lb cremini or button mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 4 to 5 shiitake mushrooms, caps only, sliced, optional
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• A dash of ground cardamom or nutmeg, optional
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

1. To partially bake a homemade crust, heat the oven to 350 degrees F. If your pie shell is homemade, chill it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, then fit heavy aluminum foil snugly inside, pressing it up against the edges. Add pie weights, using dry beans, dry rice, or sugar if you like, and bake for 40 minutes.
2. For a store-bought frozen crust, set the oven to 375 degrees F. Leave the crust at room temperature for 15 minutes, then prick the base and sides all over with a fork. Set an empty pie pan of the same size inside the shell, or line it with heavy aluminum foil and add pie weights, such as dry beans or rice. Put the pie shell on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven and bake for 12 minutes, just until it is barely beginning to color.
3. Take the crust out of the oven and allow it to cool. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and toss them through the butter. Turn the heat up to high and cook, stirring the whole time, until the mushrooms release their liquid and that liquid cooks away, a few minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the minced garlic, and cook it with the mushrooms for 30 seconds. Take the pan off the heat.
5. Whisk the eggs with the sour cream, milk, and cream. Season with freshly ground pepper, a pinch of salt, and the cardamom or nutmeg if you are using it. Fold in the grated cheese and chopped parsley.
6. Arrange the cooked mushrooms across the bottom of the pre-baked crust. Pour the cheese and cream filling over the mushrooms.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. If the edges of the crust start getting too dark, cover them with foil or set a pie shield over the top.
8. Take the pie out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.