Winter Woodland Wanderings and Delicious Mushroom & Herb Pinwheels ( Recipe included)

Hopping happily to the woodland this morning, the day seemed brighter and cheerful than the past days, though the whooshing sound of the wind behind me pushed me to walk faster!

In the woods, the trees were swaying, creaking, and groaning. The sound was almost like driving on the motorway with wide-open windows. I was a little wary since this area is known for falling trees.

When I spotted this tree that was ready to drop anytime, I thought, "I better hurry and go home" Haha!

The tree was covered in white lichen. Although white lichen doesn’t usually cause trees to die, this one must have been infected by another type of fungus, most likely the ash dieback fungus
(Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) that killed 80% of our ash trees.

It’s clearly rotting inside – just one strong gust of wind, and down it will go!

I wasn’t expecting to find much around this winter season, but I managed to spot a few velvet shanks. These seem to be the only delicious mushrooms that survive around here during winter.

On my way home, the branches were falling from the strong wind; this particular one had lots of lichens.

Back home with some velvet shanks, I created a recipe using what I had and added oyster mushrooms from the local farm shop.

Here it is.

🍄Mushroom and Herb Pinwheels 🍄

Ingredients 🍄

1 sheet of puff pastry (pre-rolled or homemade)
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups mushrooms, finely chopped (wild, button, chestnut, or your choice)
3-4 dried tomatoes, chopped
A handful of black or green olives, sliced (optional)
1 tsp mixed dried herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, or Italian seasoning)
Fresh parsley or basil, chopped (for garnish)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Tomato Sauce Mixture 🍄
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp honey (or sugar, if you prefer)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of salt (adjust to taste)

Method 🍄

Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan) or gas mark 6.

Sauté the Mushrooms 🍄

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant.

Add the mushrooms and cook until softened and any released moisture has evaporated.

Stir in the dried tomatoes, dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.

Let cool slightly.

Prepare the Pastry 🍄

Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface (if not pre-rolled). Keep it as a rectangle.

Layer the Fillings 🍄

Mix the tomatoes sauce mixture.

Spread a thin, even layer of tomato paste over the pastry, leaving a small border around the edges.

Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly on top.

Spread the cooled mushroom mixture over the cheese.

Roll and Slice 🍄

Carefully roll the pastry into a tight log.

Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes (this helps with slicing).

Once chilled, slice the log into 1.5cm thick pinwheels using a sharp knife.

Bake 🍄

Arrange the slices on the lined baking tray, cut side up, leaving space for them to puff.

Brush the tops with the beaten egg for a golden finish.

Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.

Let cool a bit before serving.

Garnish and Serve 🍄

Sprinkle with your favourite herb.
Serve warm or at room temperature with a dipping sauce or just as they are!

It's a great on-the-go snack too!

Flaky pastry with sweet tomato sauce, melty cheese, earthy mushrooms, and herby, savoury flavours—a deliciously balanced bite!

It's a delicious treat of the day!

Have a lovely day, everyone,
Mariah 💗😊