I’m not sure if you know this, but I’m a big fan of beans. The versatility and ability to extend a dish make beans a staple item in our home. Plus they’re healthy, and so very tasty too.

Thankfully after writing a silly post about beans early in the life of this blog, Bush’s Beans still contacted me to join what we like to call Team Bean, a group of bloggers and chefs that get together to learn and create fantasticalness (yes, that’s a word in my world) in the kitchen utilizing beans. A couple of weeks ago Team Bean met up in Montana to cook things up. Chefs Connie Guttersen, PhD, RD and Jeffrey Saad shared a few delicious recipes, showing us, again, how versatile the bean really can be.

All photos in this post are courtesy of Crackle Photography.

Meet the rest of the ladies of team bean: SandyCheryl, Aggie, Katie, Laura and Tina.

Today I’m sharing with you one of the recipes we made while in Montana, the BUSH’S® Wild Mushroom and White Bean Tart. Don’t let the name fool ya. It’s really easy. If you’ve never worked with phyllo dough before, other than keeping it from drying out (cover with damp paper towels or dish cloth while working) it’s not difficult, and the dough is very forgiving. And it’s actually fun–it’s like playing in the kitchen.

One of the things that I like about this recipe, and so many others using beans, is that you can change up the flavor profile to your liking. Artichoke hearts would be a nice option to mushrooms. No goat cheese on hand? Substitute feta. Create something new. Just have fun with it.

Speaking of having fun…
Bush’s® Beans is also sponsoring a giveaway. One random winner will receive a gift pack, which includes:

Staub Grill Pan • Adorable Apron • Silpat • Bean Strainer • Recipes made at the event
Various spices to the make recipes • Coupons for free cans of Bush’s Beans

Giveaway details:
Leave a comment below and one random winner will be chosen. Entries will be received beginning today, Thursday, October 20, 2011, until Tuesday, October 25, 2011, Midnight PST. The winner will be announced sometime on Wednesday, October 26, 2011.

We have a winner!

Congratulations to #46 Abby! Woohoo! (Abby, I’ll be contacting you about your prize.)

Thanks to everyone for stopping by to enter!

Now for the yummy recipe…

Mushroom and White Bean Tart Recipe

Mushroom and White Bean Tart

Mushroom and White Bean Tart

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Recipe created for BUSH’S® Beans by Connie Guttersen, PhD, RD, nutrition instructor at the Culinary Institute of America and author of “The New Sonoma Diet” and “The Sonoma Cookbook” Sterling 2011

Ingredients

  • 8 sheets (9”X12” each) phyllo dough

For Filling:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 cups wild mushrooms, cut in quarters (approximately 24 ounces
  • 2 cups onions, diced
  • 2 tablespoons garlic, diced
  • 1 can (15.5 ounces) BUSH'S® Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (thyme, parsley or marjoram), chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ½ cup low-fat sour cream

For Tart:

  • Olive oil spray
  • 6 tablespoons whole wheat bread crumbs
  • 16 slices Roma tomatoes, ¼-inch thick
  • ½ cup goat cheese

Additional Supplies:

  • Parchment paper
  • Plastic wrap

Instructions

  1. Defrost phyllo dough (allow about 2 hours for defrosting).

For Filling:

  1. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and mushrooms. Sauté for 5-10 minutes or until mushrooms release their moisture and begin to shrink, cook mushrooms in batches if necessary. Continue cooking mushrooms until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms start to brown (if mushrooms are too wet, they will soak through the phyllo dough). Add onions, garlic, cannellini beans and 1 tablespoon of herbs. Cook for 5 minutes or until onions are soft. Stir in zest. Season with salt and pepper. Let mushroom mixture thoroughly cool.
  2. Beat egg and sour cream. Add egg and sour cream to cooled mushroom mixture (egg will scramble if added to hot mixture). Salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Preheat oven to 400-degrees F.

For Tart:

  1. Lay 1 large sheet of phyllo on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan, keep remaining phyllo sheets covered with plastic wrap. Spray phyllo with olive oil spray and lightly sprinkle with bread crumbs. Place another sheet of phyllo on top of bread crumbs, gently press down. Spray top sheet of phyllo with olive oil spray. Repeat the process with the remaining sheets of phyllo. Work quickly so the edges don’t dry out. Roll up 1-inch of each edge towards the center, forming a rim. The final tart shell should be 7X10-inch.
  2. Spread mushroom mixture evenly over the phyllo. Top with tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and evenly distribute goat cheese on top. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon of herbs.
  3. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is brown and crispy. Cool on wire rack prior to serving.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Facebook

All photos in this post are courtesy of Crackle Photography.