Goat Cheese and Tomato Tarts
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Today I wanted to post an appetizer. I’m a big fan of appetizers. They tend to be overlooked and under appreciated. My family sometimes just has an all appetizer night. There’s just something about finger foods that invoke a festive feeling.
I’m sure many of you have seen these tarts. I believe the Barefoot Bloggers group has made them. When I saw them in Joelen’s blog, it pushed me over the edge. I decided to make them when we had friends over for dinner.
While I was making these tarts, I was thinking, “Geesh Ina, what’s with all these ingredients” but I can say that the flavors in these tarts is worth the effort. Hubby agreed that these were amazing. You really can’t go wrong with goat cheese and tomatoes, so it’s really no surprise.
Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts
Ingredients:
1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
Good olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, sliced thin
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped - I used cherry tomatoes cut into quarters
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves
Directions:
Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 3-inch wide round cookie cutter, cut 4 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 8 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 1 large sheet pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.
Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and place 1/8 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1/2 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Sprinkle the diced tomato in the center of each tart along with the basil, salt, and pepper.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Serve hot or warm.
Recipe from Ina Garten as seen on What's Cookin, Chicago
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I am also a big fan of quiche but never think to make it because the crust is usually a few too many calories for lunch. Love this recipe – definitely will have to attempt this at home!
beantownbaker — February 13th, 2013 @ 11:51 am
The crust def isn’t worth the calories or the effort in my book.
We love quiche, and eat it quite often! I think it’s a great “clean out the fridge” meal that is suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! I will say though, I usually make mine with a crust, but NEVER a homemade crust. I just don’t have time, nor skill, for that. I love using whole wheat crusts, or the deep-dish crusts. I’m a carboholic, so the crust is a must! (if I don’t have a crust, I just make frittata.)
beantownbaker — February 14th, 2013 @ 2:28 pm
Crust is a must! Love it.
I guess there’s really no difference between a frittata and a crust-less quiche… just how they’re cooked? I agree though – they’re great for cleaning out the fridge.
We don’t eat many carbs in our house. I don’t want to go as far as saying gluten intolerant, but I’ve never been able to digest starches that well…
goat cheese, yes please! i’m with you on not needing a crust with quiche 🙂