Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tart

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated

8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

2 large shallots, minced

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), defrosted *

1 large egg, beaten to blend

6 ounces soft fresh goat cheese at room temperature

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

2 tablespoons whipping cream

Balsamic glaze (optional)

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until dry, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet with shallots. Sauté until shallots are soft and mushrooms are browned. Add nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Cool. (Can be made the day before.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out puff pastry onto lightly floured surface to 12x15-inch rectangle. Cut one 12x5-inch rectangle, two 11x½-inch strips and two 5x½-inch strips from pastry. Place rectangle on prepared baking sheet. Pierce all over with fork. Using pastry brush, brush all strips with egg. Place short strips, egg side down, atop ends of pastry to form raised crust edge; place long strips, egg side down, atop long sides of pastry. Brush entire tart lightly with remaining egg.

Bake tart shell until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and spread cheese evenly over bottom of hot tart shell and top with mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Drizzle with cream. Bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. If desired, drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve hot.

*Feel free to use a traditional pie crust in a tart pan instead of puff pastry. Prebaking is required, but there is no need to brush with beaten egg. When I do this, I often double the filling.

Serves 6 as a side and 8-10 as an appetizer.