Wood-Fired Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Big, meaty portobello mushrooms stuffed with cream cheese, Parmesan, and fresh basil, finished with crispy breadcrumbs in a wood-fired oven. These are dead simple to put together and always go down well - whether you're serving them as a starter, a side, or as the main event for vegetarian guests. The high heat of a pizza oven gives you a golden, crispy top while keeping the mushrooms juicy underneath.

Ingredients

• 2 large portobello mushrooms
• Olive oil
• 50g Parmesan, finely grated
• 100g cream cheese
• Small handful of fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Breadcrumbs (panko work particularly well)

Method

1. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and set aside (chop them finely and add to the filling if you like). Brush the caps generously with olive oil on both sides.
2. Place the mushrooms gill-side up in your pizza oven and cook for 5-10 minutes until they're tender and have released some of their liquid. Pour off any excess liquid that pools in the caps.
3. While the mushrooms cook, combine the Parmesan, cream cheese, chopped basil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well until everything is evenly combined.
4. Fill each mushroom cap generously with the cheese mixture, mounding it up slightly. Scatter breadcrumbs over the top and drizzle with a little more olive oil.
5. Return the stuffed mushrooms to the oven and cook until the topping is golden and crispy and the cheese is bubbling. This should take another 5-10 minutes depending on your oven temperature.
6. Serve immediately - these are best eaten hot from the oven.