Puff Pastry Masala Mushroom Tartlets

These bite size masala mushroom tartlets made with flaky & buttery puff pastry shells with a spicy indian spiced mushroom filling. Vegetarian friendl

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Indian

Servings tartlets

1.5 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon cooking oil I use avocado oil
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ cup onion chopped
1 teaspoon garlic paste
2 green chilies chopped, (hot) adjust quantity to taste
⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon red chili powder (medium hot) adjust quantity to taste
½ cup bell pepper chopped small, I use a mix of red and green
8 oz mushrooms chopped, I use white button, any kind of mushrooms will work.
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
¼ - ½ teaspoon garam masala powder stary with ¼ teaspon, adjust quantity to taste
¼ teaspoon amchur dry mango powder, or use lemon juice to taste
2 oz cream cheese softened
⅓ cup shredded mozarella cheese

Heat oil and butter in a wide pan or large skillet(1 use a 12 inch pan).
Sprinkle the cumin seeds over and let crackle.
Stir in the chopped onions and sauté over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or until translucent.
Next, add chopped green chilies, garlic paste, and the powdered spices—red chili powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the raw aroma of garlic disappears and the spices are fragrant.
Add the chopped bell peppers and mushrooms to the pan. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to soften slightly.
Pour in the tomato sauce or puree and mix well with the mushroom mixture. Cook for another 2-4 minutes, or until the mushrooms are fully softened.
Season with salt, garam masala powder, and amchur (or a squeeze of lemon juice). Add chopped cilantro leaves. Stir well and turn off the heat.
Let the mushroom masala cool slightly in the pan, then fold, softened cream cheese, and mozzarella cheese.
Mix thoroughly to combine. Your cheesy masala mushroom filling is ready to use!

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C)
Thaw puff pastry sheets according to package instructions. Keep the second sheet refrigerated while you work with the first sheet. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the puff pastry to smooth the creases.
Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to cut the puff pastry sheets into circles. I got 9 circles from each sheet of puff pastry.
Gently press each pastry circle into lightly greased cups of a muffin pan to make shells(refer to image to get an idea of how the pressed pastry should look). Prick the base and side of each pastry circle lightly with a fork to prevent puffing.
Spoon the prepared cheesy mushroom masala filling into the puff pastry shells, Fill them generously without spilling over.
Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake the puff pastry circles for 13-14 minutes(these are small in size and bake fast) or until the puff pastry is golden brown and crisp. If you want, you can add extra shredded cheese towrds the last 2-3 minutes.
Allow the tartlets to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes before carefully removing them. Serve with green chutney. They have best texture when served warm.

Since mushrooms have a high water content, using a wide pan ensures their moisture evaporates quickly, hence preventing the filling from becoming watery.
Make Ahead- You can make the mushroom filling and stuff the shells and keep refrigerated 1-2 days ahead. Bake and serve whenever ready.
Adjust the quantity of green chillies and red chilli powder to your liking.
I only add 2 oz of cream cheese & ? cup shredded mozarella cheese to give the mushroom filling creaminess, you can definitely add bit more cheese if desired.
Leftover Mushroom Filling - In case you have, can be used to make mushroom bagel sandwiches or as a filling for quesadillas. You could also use in in breakfast omelettes.

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