Thursday, March 5, 2009

Recipe Rursday: Tomato & Goat Cheese Tarts

Ina Garten's Tomato & Goat Cheese Tarts (orig. recipe makes 4 tarts, I changed it to make 2)
  • 1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted (1 sheet needed)
  • Good olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 sm. garlic cloves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 T dry white wine
  • 1 tsp.minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 T freshly grated Parmesan, plus 1 oz. shaved with a vegetable peeler
  • 2 oz. garlic-and-herb goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet) (or, plain)
  • 1 large tomato, cut into 2 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
  • 1 T julienned basil leaves (we were out of basil)
You can find Ina Garten's instructions here, but I jotted down these instructions from watching her put this together on the Food Network. She made two 6" tarts on the show, I followed suit. It was a perfect appetizer for 4 people. So good.

1. Preheat oven at 425F. Saute onions and a bit of garlic in olive oil (at the end, add S&P, white wine, thyme).
2. Use 1 sheet of puff pastry (defrosted), flour a board & roll out into an 11" sq. With a knife, trace two 6" (diameter) saucers & cut out 2 circles. Place them on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
3. With a knife, score a 1/2" border from the edge of each circle. Poke fork holes throughout the middle circle - they'll close up if they go all the way through.
4. In the center of the circles layer: Reggiano Parm. (1T grated for each tart), Onions (divided), 1 oz. of goat cheese on each (split into lumps), 1/2 " thick tomato slice.
5. Brush both tomato slices with olive oil. And top with chiffonade'd Basil cut & a few large Parmesan shavings (via. a veg. peeler).
6. Salt & pepper the top. Bake for 20-25 min. Let cool & cut into wedges.

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