Middle-earth Menu: “Miss Primula Brandybuck’s Mushroom Pie”

By Astrid Tuttle Winegar

Perhaps Miss Primula Brandybuck favored a somewhat lighter dish when dining at her father’s generous table. Primula was the youngest daughter of the influential Gorbadoc Brandybuck. She married Drogo Baggins and had one child, Frodo. She was mostly memorable for this special child and her unfortunate death by drowning. Accident? Murder? And if murder, was she the perpetrator? Well, we’ll never know for sure, though her husband perished with her…

Please follow this link to my blog for the Savory Seasoning recipe! Or, I’ll make you a batch—head over to my Etsy Shop Elegant Sufficiencies and order your own: Savory Seasoning in a Jar or (the cheaper version) Savory Seasoning in a Ziploc Bag.

“Miss Primula Brandybuck’s Mushroom Pie”

1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 ounces cold lard, cut into ¼” bits (or vegetable shortening)
5-7 tablespoons ice water
1 tablespoon salted butter
½ pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon “Shire” Seasoning (Savory Seasoning; see above)
8 ounces Gouda cheese, shredded
4 extra large eggs
½ cup 1% milk
½ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ cup minced fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dry)

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the lard with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water in tablespoons, mixing until the dough is incorporated thoroughly; form a smooth ball. Cover bowl with a towel and refrigerate 30-60 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, sauté the mushrooms in the butter and ¼ teaspoon “Shire” Seasoning over high heat, stirring frequently. Cook about 8 minutes, until all the liquid evaporates; set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°. On a floured surface, roll out dough into a 13″ circle. Place in a 9½” glass pie dish. Trim and fold over the edge; crimp as desired. Save scraps for decorations, if you like. In the pie crust bowl (don’t bother washing), whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, ¼ teaspoon “Shire” Seasoning, and nutmeg; set aside. Layer ⅓ of the cheese, ½ the mushrooms, ⅓ of the cheese, the remaining mushrooms, and the remaining cheese over the dough. Pour the egg mixture over. Sprinkle with parsley and place small decorations over all, if desired. Bake 46-50 minutes or until set in the center. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Serve hot, warm, or even at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate leftovers. Serves 6-8.

This is known as “Marvelous Mushroom Pie” in my cookbook.

Astrid Tuttle Winegar is the author of Cooking for Halflings & Monsters: 111 Comfy, Cozy Recipes for Fantasy-Loving Souls, which is currently available exclusively in e-book form on the Amazon Kindle, but will soon be released by Oloris Publishing! Stay tuned for details. For now, she is mostly telling a culinary Middle-earth story here on Legendarium. Astrid has loved C. S. Lewis since childhood, J. R. R. Tolkien since middle and high school, all Star things, both Trek and Wars, all things Whedon, and many other things besides… She lives in the enchanted city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her husband and dog. She blogs occasionally at Cooking for Halflings & Monsters. You can check out (and like!) her Facebook page or visit (and follow!) her Twitter feed. Staff Reporter.