20090319 Baked Mushrooms with Ricotta and Pesto

(SOURCE: BBC EasyCook Magazine)

You may want to put the dish under a hot grill for just a few minutes to give it a little more color.

INGREDIENTS
5 tbsp olive oil
16 medium chestnut mushrooms
250g ricotta
2 tbsp green pesto
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
25g grated parmesan

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 180 degree C. Choose an ovenproof dish big enough to take all the mushrooms in one layer and generouly brush it with 1 tbsp of the oil.
2. Trim the mushroom stalks level with their caps, then put the mushrooms, stalk-side up, in the dish. Mix the ricotta, pesto and garlic and spoon some into each mushroom. Sprinkle over the parmesan and drizzle over the rest of the oil.
3. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft all the way through and the cheese is just starting to turn golden. If the mushrooms have released a lot of juice during baking, drain it off before serving.
4. Serve with a little more pesto and scattered with parsley.