Porcini Mushroom Casserole
A kilogram of porcini — about 2¼ lb of fresh ceps, the same king bolete Italians dry for risotto — chopped fine and fried slowly in butter is the whole point of this casserole. Beaten eggs and breadcrumbs turn that mushroom mass into something between a souffle and a pie: the crumbs absorb stray juices, the eggs set, and the finished dish slices cleanly instead of being spooned out.
Order matters more than timing. The mushrooms fry with the onion for a full 15 minutes with no sour cream in the pan, long enough for their water to cook off and for real browning to develop; the smetana (full-fat sour cream) goes in only for the last five. Add it at the start and they simply stew in their own liquid and taste boiled.
Grease the dish generously, since egg-bound mixtures grip. If porcini are out of reach or out of budget, cremini or oyster mushrooms will do, but soak a few dried porcini and chop them in to bring back the woodsy depth. Scatter the cheese and dill on just before baking — sheltered under the cheese, the dill won’t scorch. Good warm, and honestly good cold the next day.
Part of Eastern European cuisine — 65 more recipes in the section.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Peel, wash, and slice the onions into rings. Grate the cheese. Beat the eggs. Wash and chop the dill.
Wash, clean, and finely chop the mushrooms, mix with the onion, season with salt and pepper, and fry in butter for 15 minutes.
Add the sour cream and braise for another 5 minutes.
Combine the braised mushrooms and onion with the breadcrumbs and beaten eggs.
Spread the mixture into an oiled baking dish and sprinkle with cheese and dill.
Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes until golden and crusty.
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