Heirloom Tomato Tartlette
Searching for an easy to make flavorful appetizer? These Heirloom Tomato Tartlette’s pack a punch in their little package.
First, there’s the sweet high-quality taste of the heirloom tomatoes. The heirloom tomatoes are so welcoming because they have such different shapes, colors and flavors. A little different from regular cherry tomatoes, some are mild and sweet, some zesty and others are savory. Then there’s the basil. The classic pairing of tomatoes and basil are the ultimate compliment. Add some mild flavored spreadable cheese and puff pastry, what a satisfying bite of food!
Traditionally “tarts” are made with a shortcrust dough, so we took some liberties here with the puff pastry. Hope you don’t mind!
Our Heirloom Tomato Tartlette’s start with thinly sliced heirloom tomatoes. Chiffonade and chop the basil. To assemble, separate the pastry shells into pieces and reshape accordingly. Gently spread the soft cheese in the middle of the shell. Top with basil and slices of tomatoes. Chill for about 30 minutes. Puff pastry should go in the oven cold in order for the layers to form.
When you are ready to bake the cold Heirloom Tomato Tartlette’s, you can apply an egg mixture to the outer dough with a pastry brush. It’s a little cumbersome because you only want to get the outside and you are working with a small space. Or, you could leave them as shown in the pictures for a more rustic appearance. Bake, but be sure to watch for browning in the last few minutes. Allow the appetizers to cool on a wire rack until room temperature.
This recipe is easy for a beginner baker to make.
Heirloom Tomato Tartlette
ingredients:
- 1 cup of heirloom cherry tomatoes
- 4-5 basil leaves
- 2 packages of puff pastry cups, thawed
- 1 7.5 oz. of vegetable or herb cream cheese spread, softened to room temperature
- 1 egg, beaten with a tablespoon of water, optional
instructions:
How to cook Heirloom Tomato Tartlette
- Preparation- Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. With a sharp knife, thinly slice the tomatoes. Chiffonade (see Notes and Tips) and roughly chop the basil.
- Pastry and Assembly- Working on the parchment paper, carefully separate the pastry shells into pieces on the seams and reshape accordingly. Place the pastry on the prepared baking sheets, 6 per sheet. Gently spread 1 tablespoon of the soft cheese in the middle of the shell and smooth to flatten. Top with basil and slices of colorful tomatoes. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Bake- Preheat the oven to 400F. If desired, carefully apply the egg mixture to the outer dough of the chilled tartlettes with a pastry brush. Bake for 23-25 minutes. Watch for browning in the last few minutes. Do not overbake. Allow to cool on a wire rack until room temperature.
NOTES:
• You can try other vegetables in this recipe! Try chopped broccoli or chopped red, yellow and green peppers. Pair with different types of herbs. • You can switch out the spreadable cream cheese, too!
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