Mushroom Pasties

->See Christmas Supper.

The Mushroom Pasties are called that, not because they're from a stripper cookbook, but because they're a medieval recipe. They're really good, but it's hard to fit a lot of mushroom into the pastries ("pasties" meant turnovers), so next time I'll make them as open faced tarts. This is a great cookbook, though, made by a bunch of scholars.

"Champignons en pasté"
Pleyn Delit, Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks
Hoett, Hosington & Butler

pastry dough rolled thinly and cut into the circles for turnovers, or open tarts
* I used Robin Hood from a box--it's vegan, and it works well
3/4 lb small button mushrooms
1-2 oz cheese (I used Earth Island cheddar)
2 TB olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1.8 tsp pepper

oven 425F
* wash mushrooms and pare stems
* parboil in salted water 3-4 minutes
* drain and mix with oil and seasonings
* if making turnovers, mix with cheese
-if tarts, then put mixture in, and sprinkle cheese on top
* make pastries
* bake 12-15 mins, or until lightly browned