What is funghi al forno?Baked flat mushroom with ricotta, spinach and parmesan at Fiena, King's Cross

The name is simple Italian: funghi means mushrooms and al forno means "from the oven", the same phrase you'll see on baked pasta such as lasagne al forno. So funghi al forno is, quite literally, baked mushrooms.

A flat mushroom is one whose cap has fully opened out. The common cultivated mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, is one of the most widely eaten mushrooms in the world and is grown in more than 70 countries. Its cap starts off rounded, like a button, and flattens as it matures. Picked young it's sold as button, chestnut or cremini; left to grow until the cap reaches about 10 to 15 centimetres, it's sold under names such as portobello. A wide, open cap is perfect for baking, because it holds a filling or sauce like a little dish. Background from Wikipedia's Agaricus bisporus page.

Ricotta is a soft Italian cheese traditionally made from the whey left over from making other cheeses, although modern ricotta is often made from milk. Its name means "recooked", because the whey is heated a second time to form fine, creamy white curds that taste slightly sweet. Italians have made fresh cheeses like this since the Bronze Age, and ricotta turns up all over the kitchen, from ravioli fillings to Neapolitan pastiera, the Easter pie. Its mild, milky flavour softens the earthiness of a mushroom without hiding it. Background from Wikipedia's ricotta page.

On our main menu, the Funghi al forno is a baked flat mushroom with a ricotta and spinach sauce and parmesan. It's marked vegetarian and gluten-free. If you enjoy the ricotta and spinach combination, it's the same pairing that fills our Ravioli ricotta & spinach, served in a sage and butter sauce; see our ravioli post.

Guests often say the food looks as good as it tastes. One wrote that The food and drinks were delicious and beautifully presented (Google review), Nour rated it Food was a 10/10, very yummy and filling and delicious. (Nour, Google review) And Diana called Fiena a Lovely place with great food and generous staff! (Diana, Google review)

The baked mushroom is lovely on its own, but even better as part of a spread. From the same starters list:

• Caprese: buffalo mozzarella, heritage tomato and basil, vegetarian and gluten-free.
• Padron peppers: blistered Spanish green peppers with flaked sea salt, vegan and gluten-free.
• Bruschetta: marinated plum tomatoes with basil, oregano, garlic and olive oil, vegan.
• Arancini mushroom: served with a saffron sauce, vegetarian.

See our posts on Caprese, Padrón peppers, bruschetta and arancini. For mains, the Risotto mushrooms keeps the mushroom theme going, and every pasta dish can be made with gluten-free penne. For more ideas, see our vegetarian and vegan guide and our gluten-free guide.

“the portions were quite generous”

Fanghan, Google review, 2026