My Friend Marlene's Hobbit Pie

Sometimes I am amazed how people can touch us so deeply that, even though we have known them for a very short period of time, it feels like we have known them our entire lives.
Thus is was with my friend Marlene on BakeSpace. Sadly, she is no longer available for forum discussions, or to offer words of encouragement on one of my outrageous experiments, nor to post another recipe. I miss her terribly, but I console myself with the thought that angels are now enjoying Schnapps Spiked Peach Trifle.

The point of all this is that I was having trouble deciding what I was going to cook for dinner... It happens sometimes... I just feel completely uninspired and nothing really sounds appetizing. So I was sifting through my recipe directory at work and I came across a copy of a recipe that Marlene had posted on BakeSpace, all marked up with notes. Basically, she was my muse for dinner. I find this a little comforting. For the original recipe Click Here.

I know I am being less than eloquent tonight, but ...

Marlene, this one's for you...

Hobbit Pie

No Hobbits were harmed in the making of this pie.

pâte brisée or 1 pkg refrigerated pie crust
6 TB Unsalted butter
1 1/2 lbs (680g) sliced Cremini mushrooms (a mixture of Cremini and Shitake is nice too)
2 cups (12 oz) (340g) Onion or Leek, chopped or sliced
2 – 3 cloves of Garlic
1/3 cup (1.5 oz) (42g) Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 cup (100ml) Dry White Wine
2 Large Eggs; Beaten
1 cup (8 oz) (225g) Cottage Cheese (You can use Ricotta too)
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) (170g) grated Sharp Cheddar or Emmental (I used 1 cup Provolone and 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano)
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 cup (.5 oz) (15g) chopped Flat-Leaf parsley
optional - 1 TB Porcini Powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

Add mushrooms, tossing to coat, and sauté them until they have given up their liquid and reabsorbed it.

Add onions and garlic, and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent.

Add Flour and cook for a minute or 2 to remove raw taste

Remove the mixture from the heat, and add Wine, mixing well.

Add all other ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

Line a 9" pie plate or tin with one pie crust.
Pour mixture into crust
Using a fluted pastry wheel, or a sharp knife, slice a second pastry into strips about 1/2 – 3/4 inch wide.

Starting in the middle of the pie and working perpendicular create a lattice top weaving each consecutive strip leaving about 1/2 inch between each of the strips.
Fold the bottom pastry up and over to create a ridge of dough around the outside edge of the pie and pinch crimp the pastry between thumb and forefinger.

Bake for 40-45 minutes;

Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes to set.

Mangia!!
~~