Deep Gnome Trillimac Pods

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ¼ cup dry sherry, such as Amontillado
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1.75 cups ricotta, preferably whole-milk ricotta
• 1 {=amount1|egg|eggs}
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup small pieces dried mushrooms, such as porcini or shiitake (optional)
• 2.5 ounces Italian Fontina cheese, shredded (about ¾ cup)
• 36 square wonton wrappers (from one 12-ounce package)

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the cremini mushrooms and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushroom liquid evaporates and they just start to sizzle and brown, about 12 minutes. Adjust the heat to medium, clear the center of the pan, add another 1 tablespoon olive oil, and allow it to heat for a moment. Add half of the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 4 minutes more; stir the onion into the mushrooms. Add half of the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add the sherry and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to release and dissolve any browned bits, about 1 minute more. Scrape the ragout mixture into a bowl, add the parsley, and stir to incorporate. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Wipe out the skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, return the pan to medium heat, and warm until shimmering. Add the remaining onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl. Add the ricotta, egg, ½ cup of the Parmesan, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper to the bowl. Stir until uniform, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. If you are using the dried mushrooms, in an electric spice grinder or mini food processor, pulverize the mushroom pieces until very, very fine and powdery. Add the powder to the ricotta mixture and stir until well blended.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the Fontina and remaining ½ cup Parmesan cheese.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle of the oven. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin (preferably nonstick) with nonstick cooking spray.
6. To assemble, press one wonton wrapper into each cup, followed by about 1 tablespoon each of the ricotta mixture and mushroom ragout mixture, spreading each into an even layer. Add another wonton wrapper, rotating it slightly so the corners do not line up with the wrapper on the bottom. Repeat the layering with the remaining wonton wrappers and ricotta and mushroom ragout mixtures, always rotating the wonton wrappers, so the corners do not line up. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the shredded cheese mixture evenly all the way to the edge of each cup; try to keep the cheese layer as thin as possible.
7. Bake until the cheese is melted, the edges of the wonton wrappers are browned, and the mini pies are hot all the way through, about 20 minutes, rotating the muffin tin 180 degrees halfway through the baking time.
8. Rest the mini pies for about 5 minutes. Use a dinner knife or small heatproof spatula to help remove them from the muffin cups (work carefully so they stay intact) and serve.